Africans hailed Michael Jackson Friday as a pioneering 'son' who fused black and white music but some questioned his bizarre personal life and alleged he tried to disown his black identity.

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe Friday joined the growing list of world leaders in condemning the coup in Guinea and called on the junta to immediately step down.

"We join the international community in calling on the military rulers to immediately hand over power to the speaker of the National Assembly in conformity with the constitution ... to lay the basis for the holding of democratic elections," a foreign ministry statement quoted him as saying.

"In this context, the military rulers must cease their pursuance of the current members of the cabinet as well as the prime minister and help return the country to the rule of law, constitutionality, peace and security", said Motlanthe.

He described the coup as an "affront to peace, stability and democracy" in Guinea.

The coup has met with widespread international criticism, particularly of junta head Captain Moussa Dadis Camara's decision to rule out elections for at least two years.