President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulates Senegal's President-elect Faye

Faye has comfortably won the country's presidential election with 54.28 percent of votes in the first round, while it still has to be validated by Senegal's top constitutional body.

At 44-years old, Faye is the youngest president in Senegal's history after his rival conceded.

It is the first time in 12 presidential votes held under universal suffrage since Senegal gained independence from France in 1960 that an opposition candidate has won in the first round of voting.

According to one of their lawyers and an AFP journalist, Faye and Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko were released from prison in Dakar three weeks ago, 10 days before the country's election.

Ramaphosa says the outcome of the election bears testimony to the resilient spirit of the Senegalese people who preferred the democratic course of change of government, through voting. 

He further applauded the other contestants for displaying maturity in accepting the election outcome.

The president adds South Africa and Senegal enjoy close political, trade and social relations deepened by strong historical ties rooted from the anti-apartheid struggle.

Ramaphosa has committed to strengthen the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Senegal further in pursuit of a better and peaceful continent.

"The Senegalese people have lighten a beacon which will usher in a new hope in the journey of rebuilding Africa by opting for peaceful change of government as opposed to violence."

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