Ramaphosa Unveils South Africa’s New Coalition Cabinet
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a new Cabinet on Sunday evening, marking the country’s seventh administration. This came after his African National Congress (ANC), the former main opposition party, and nine other parties agreed on the composition of a coalition government following protracted negotiations.
Ramaphosa’s declaration of the “unprecedented” multi-party Cabinet arrived a month after the ANC lost its 30-year grip on political power in Africa’s most industrialized nation. The May 29 national election saw the ANC’s vote share plummet to 40%, resulting in the loss of its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Despite the setback, the ANC maintained the lion’s share of ministerial positions, with 20 out of 32 Cabinet roles filled by ANC officials. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which emerged as the second largest party with 21% of the vote, secured six ministerial positions.
The remaining posts were distributed among smaller parties. This coalition represents a government of national unity, open to participation from any of the 18 parties in Parliament, although some have opted out.
“We have shown that there are no problems that are too difficult or too intractable that they cannot be solved through dialogue,” Ramaphosa stated, emphasizing the complexity of the negotiations.
Key appointments in Ramaphosa’s new Cabinet include the reappointment of Paul Mashatile of the ANC as deputy president and Parks Tau as the minister of trade and industry, a role highly contested by the DA.
DA leader John Steenhuisen was named minister of agriculture, and leaders from four other political parties were also brought into the Cabinet.
“We have had to ensure that all the parties are able to participate meaningfully in the national executive,” Ramaphosa said, highlighting the inclusive nature of the coalition government.
