After weeks of negotiation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a new Cabinet composed of a coalition of parties. This comes after the ANC, the former dominant party, lost its majority in the national election, forcing them to seek partners for governance. The ANC secured the majority of ministerial positions with 20 out of 32 roles, but the DA, a former fierce critic of the ANC, received six ministerial posts. The remaining positions were distributed among smaller parties. This coalition government marks a significant shift in South African politics, as it is the first time the ANC has had to share power since coming to power in 1994. The ANC’s share of the vote fell to 40% in the May 29 election, while the DA secured 21%. This change reflects South African voters’ frustrations with poverty, inequality, and unemployment. Ramaphosa has emphasized that these issues will be top priorities for the coalition government. The negotiations between the ANC and DA were tense and prolonged, with the DA reportedly considering withdrawing from the agreement before a meeting between Ramaphosa and DA leader John Steenhuisen on Friday. Despite these challenges, Ramaphosa has expressed optimism about the coalition, stating that “We have shown that there are no problems that are too difficult or too intractable that they cannot be solved through dialogue.” In some of the key Cabinet appointments, Paul Mashatile of the ANC has been reappointed as Deputy President, while Parks Tau of the ANC has been appointed as Minister of Trade and Industry, a position sought by the DA. John Steenhuisen, leader of the DA, has been appointed as Minister of Agriculture. Notably, Ramaphosa has also included the leaders of four other political parties in his Cabinet as ministers. He has stressed the importance of ensuring all participating parties have meaningful roles in the national executive. This unprecedented coalition government represents a significant moment in South African politics and a potential shift in how the country addresses pressing social and economic issues.
