South African Parties Finalize Cabinet Positions, Forming New Coalition Government

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Late Sunday night, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a new Cabinet after his party, the African National Congress (ANC), along with nine other parties, agreed on the structure of a coalition government. This agreement came after several weeks of negotiations.

In the new coalition, Ramaphosa’s ANC secured the majority of the ministerial positions, with ANC members taking 20 out of the 32 Cabinet roles. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which used to be the main opposition party, received six ministerial positions. The remaining posts were distributed among some of the smaller parties.

This announcement follows a significant shift in South African politics. In a national election held on May 29, the ANC lost its 30-year dominance, receiving only 40% of the vote and losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994. The DA came in second with 21% of the vote.

The coalition government, described by the ANC as a government of national unity, is open to any of the 18 parties represented in Parliament, although some have chosen not to participate.

This power-sharing arrangement is a first for South Africa. The country had a coalition government briefly at the end of apartheid, but under different circumstances. Back then, the ANC had a clear majority and Nelson Mandela, the new President, invited other parties into his government as a gesture of reconciliation.

This time, the ANC needed support from the DA and other parties to reelect Ramaphosa for a second term. The recent election saw many South Africans turning away from the ANC due to frustration over poverty, inequality, and high unemployment rates. Ramaphosa emphasized that addressing these issues would be a priority for the new coalition government.

Although the coalition includes 11 parties, the ANC and the DA are the largest and most influential. Negotiations between them were tense and nearly fell apart until a crucial meeting between Ramaphosa and DA leader John Steenhuisen on Friday.

Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of dialogue in resolving complex issues, saying, “We have shown that there are no problems that are too difficult or too intractable that they cannot be solved through dialogue.”

In key Cabinet appointments, Ramaphosa reappointed Paul Mashatile of the ANC as his deputy president. Parks Tau of the ANC was named the minister of trade and industry, a position the DA had also sought, causing some tension. DA leader Steenhuisen was appointed minister of agriculture. Additionally, leaders from four other political parties were brought into the Cabinet as new ministers.

Ramaphosa stated, “We have had to ensure that all the parties are able to participate meaningfully in the national executive.”

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