Shameem Rajbansi, wife of the late Amichand Rajbansi, was announced on as the new leader of the Minority Front, the party her husband led.

"Mrs Rajbansi is the new leader of MF," party spokesman Patrick Pillay said in Durban on Thursday morning.

The decision was made in a meeting on January 16, he said.

"The decision was taken by means of general consensus by all elected representatives and members of the MF."

Rajbansi, a veteran politician, died in December after a long stay in hospital.

Pillay said the appointment of the new MF leader was made easy by the fact that Rajbansi had developed an exit strategy.

The strategy was based on a method of succession involving training, observation and performance appraisals.

"This method has led to the smooth transition of the election of the new leader for the MF."

Addressing the media after she was announced as new MF leader, Rajbansi said her meeting her husband in 1998 had shaped her political life.

She sought to assure MF supporters that she would not disappoint them.

"My first mandate is to continue the vision, mission and aims of why my leader established the MF."

She said the process followed by the MF when choosing leaders was different from the one used by other political parties.

"We use a very traditional way which does not cause any chaos. Other parties can learn a lot from us. There was no lobbying."