Claim: Nelson Mandela used to be the South African President.

Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki  -LRB- -LSB- tʰaɓɔ mbɛːkʼi -RSB- ; born 18 June 1942 -RRB- is a South African politician who served as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008 . On 20 September 2008 , with about nine months left in his second term , Mbeki announced his resignation after being recalled by the National Executive Committee of the ANC , following a conclusion by judge C. R. Nicholson of improper interference in the National Prosecuting Authority -LRB- NPA -RRB- , including the prosecution of Jacob Zuma for corruption . On 12 January 2009 , the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously overturned judge Nicholson 's judgment but the resignation stood .   During his tenure in office , the South African economy grew at an average rate of 4.5 % per year , creating employment in the middle sectors of the economy . The black middle class was significantly expanded with the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment -LRB- BEE -RRB- . This growth exacerbated the demand for trained professionals strained by emigration due to violent crime , but failed to address unemployment amongst the unskilled bulk of the population . He attracted the bulk of Africa 's Foreign Direct Investment -LRB- FDI -RRB- and made South Africa the focal point of African growth . He was the architect of NEPAD whose aim is to develop an integrated socio-economic development framework for Africa . He also oversaw the successful building of economic bridges to BRIC -LRB- Brazil , Russia , India and China -RRB- nations with the eventual formation of the India-Brazil-South Africa -LRB- IBSA -RRB- Dialogue Forum to `` further political consultation and co-ordination as well as strengthening sectoral co-operation , and economic relations '' .   Mbeki has mediated in difficult and complex issues on the African continent including Burundi , Democratic Republic of Congo -LRB- DRC -RRB- , Ivory Coast , and some important peace agreements . He oversaw the transition from the Organisation of African Unity -LRB- OAU -RRB- to the African Union -LRB- AU -RRB- . His `` quiet diplomacy '' in Zimbabwe , however , is blamed for protracting the survival of Robert Mugabe 's regime at the cost of thousands of lives and intense economic pressure on Zimbabwe 's neighbours . He became a vocal leader of the Non-Aligned Movement in the United Nations , and , while leveraging South Africa 's seat on the Security Council , he agitated for reform of that body .   Mbeki has received worldwide criticism for his stance on AIDS . He questions the link between HIV and AIDS , and believes that the correlation between poverty and the AIDS rate in Africa was a challenge to the viral theory of AIDS . His fate was not helped by Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and the overhaul of the pharmaceutical industry in South Africa . His ban of antiretroviral drugs in public hospitals is estimated to be responsible for the premature deaths of between 330,000 and 365,000 people . Thabo Mbeki has also been criticised for responding to negative comments made about his government by accusing critics of racism .