South Africa Swears In New Unity Government Under President Ramaphosa
South Africa’s new unity government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has commenced its swearing-in ceremony in Cape Town on Wednesday after weeks of coalition negotiations.
Paul Mashatile, who retains his position as deputy president, was first among the 32 ministers to take the oath. While Ramaphosa, aged 71, unveiled his coalition government on Sunday, which includes leaders from the former main opposition party, and expands the cabinet from 30 to 32 ministries, along with 43 deputy ministers.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since 1994, retains 20 cabinet positions, including key portfolios like foreign affairs, finance, defence, justice, and police, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), the ANC’s largest coalition partner and longtime critic, will oversee six ministries including agriculture, public works, and communication.
The DA’s leader, John Steenhuisen, aged 48, has been appointed as agriculture minister. He and his party have been vocal about the ANC’s handling of high crime rates, economic challenges, and an energy crisis.
Other parties such as the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, the anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance, the right-wing Afrikaans party Freedom Front Plus, and smaller parties will collectively hold six cabinet positions.
Meanwhile, the new government signals a pragmatic shift towards the center-right, promising potential for improved governance but also concerns about maintaining cohesion. Ramaphosa faced criticism from opposition and business leaders over the increased number of ministers, with concerns about potential inefficiency and higher costs to taxpayers.
