The news
JOHANNESBURG — President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa finally appointed a cabinet of ministers late on Sunday evening. The new cabinet, which will lead the country’s first national coalition government, consists of six members of the Democratic Alliance, previously the official opposition.
Ramaphosa retained key ministries, including finance and defence, for his African National Congress. It will see the return of the country’s finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, to the all-important post, given the country’s struggling economy. Johannes Steenhuisenleader of the DA, becomes the new Minister of Agriculture.
Ramaphosa said: “All parties are committed to respecting the Constitution and promoting accountable and transparent governance, evidence-based policy and decision-making, the professionalization of public services, integrity and good governance.”
Knowing more
The ANC was forced to form a coalition government after failing to win a simple majority in South Africa’s May 29 elections. The centre-right DA won the second largest share of the vote in the election and the two parties, traditionally rivals, agreed to form a coalition with smaller parties. That enabled ANC leader Ramaphosa to remain the leader of Africa’s largest economy for another five years.
It took two weeks for the ANC to negotiate a deal with the DA to establish what they call a national unity government, which includes nine other parties.
Top party members of the ANC and DA had been in tense negotiations for the past two weeks in an attempt to reach an agreement on the right share of ministerial posts. At one point, the talks broke down over claims that the DA wanted a number of ministers equal to its share of the vote, which would have entitled the party to 11 posts. At one point, Steenhuisen was said to be seeking the role of deputy president.
The jury is still out on whether Ramaphosa’s team will pull together and succeed in tackling South Africa’s persistent problems of rising poverty and inequality. According to the country’s national statistics office, unemployment in South Africa stands at 32.9%, excluding those who have given up looking for work.
