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© AP Photo/Francisco Negroni, AgenciaUnoLightning strikes over the Puyehue volcano, over 500 miles south of Santiago, Chile, Monday June 6, 2011.
Johannesburg - South Africa's president has been grounded by an ash cloud from a Chilean volcano that has been erupting for two weeks.

The governing African National Congress said President Jacob Zuma canceled a visit to western South Africa Sunday because the cloud has grounded domestic flights in South Africa. Several commercial flights also were canceled Saturday and Sunday.

The ANC says Zuma had been scheduled to thank campaign workers in a town where the party did well in recent local elections.

The fast-traveling ash cloud has disrupted flights around the southern hemisphere since the Cordon Caulle volcano began erupting June 4. The volcano is more than 5,500 miles (more than 8,800 kilometers) from Johannesburg.