Not just a winner. The outcome of the South African election was more like a triumph, with Mr Mbeki turned in a day from softly-spoken deputy into conqueror. The ANC's vote is currently hovering around the symbolically important two thirds mark.
Official statistics say around nine million earn less than a dollar a day.
Yet still the votes came in, from polling stations around the country, flashing up on a massive electronic scoreboard in Pretoria and confirming the extraordinary grip the party has on its people. The explanations vary. Then there is the magic of Nelson Mandela. His aura, as captivating in his own country as it is in other people's, has papered over the cracks. His saintly status has bullet-proofed his party.