“Through the ballots that they have cast, the people of South Africa have made plain their expectation that the leaders of our country should work together. They have directed their representatives to put aside animosity and dissent, to abandon narrow interests, and to pursue together only that which benefits the nation.”
During the ceremony, held at the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre outside the Union Building in Pretoria, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo administered the oath of office. Ramaphosa’s oath included the promise:
“I swear I will be faithful to the Republic of South Africa… I will obey, observe and uphold the constitution and all other laws of the republic.”
Following the oath, a band played the national anthem, accompanied by a 21-gun salute and a fly-past by army helicopters, which soared over a statue of Nelson Mandela. Ramaphosa reiterated the coalition government’s commitment to reducing inequality and boosting the economy while acknowledging the deep divisions within society:
“Our society remains deeply unequal and highly polarized. There are toxic cleavages and an incipient social fragmentation that can easily turn into instability.” He also warned against those attempting to disrupt unity, asserting that “those who seek to stand in our way, to inflame tensions” and “undermine our institutions” will not succeed, he said.
