Denis Farrell / AP Photo
On Wednesday, South Africans head to the polls to vote in the country's most closely contested election in the post-Apartheid era, and Jacob Zuma, the candidate favored to win the presidency, just got a big boost with an endorsement from Nelson Mandela. The living legend, too frail to stand or speak at length, made a rare appearance at the final major rally before the polls open—but made an impact through his mere presence. His recorded statement, played on stadium TV screens, sparked a tremendous celebration among supporters of Zuma, a former revolutionary who has emerged as the likely winner of the election despite accusations of rape and corruption. His fans see him as a uniter that will organize their African National Congress Party, while critics fear he will be a strongman who'll undermine South Africa's new democracy.