Bloemfontein - Ace Magashule was on Wednesday declared Premier of the Free State during the inauguration of members of the provincial legislature.
Thousands had packed the Mangaung Indoor Sport's Centre to witness the event, singing and cheering jubilantly.
Mr Magashule will take over the reigns from Beatrice Marshoff, who has been heading the province since April 2004.
He first held the post of MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, before being moved last year to the post of MEC for the Department of Public Safety and Security.
Mr Magashule served as the provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) since the mid-1990s. He was also involved in underground work during the apartheid years and had a hand in founding the United Democratic Front in the early 1980s.
The swearing-in of the premier is expected to be followed by the swearing in of provincial MECs later in the day
