President Cyril Ramaphosa is set for re-election after the African National Congress (ANC) reached a coalition agreement with former political adversaries, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). This coalition aims to secure Ramaphosa’s second term and extend the ANC’s three-decade hold on power.
During the first sitting of the newly elected National Assembly at the Cape Town International Convention Center, DA leader John Steenhuisen declared, “Today will go down in the annals of history as the start of a new chapter for South Africa. It is my privilege to report that after two weeks of thorough negotiations, the DA has reached an agreement on the statement of intent for the formation of a Government of National Unity.”
The ANC, which has ruled since the end of apartheid in 1994, lost its parliamentary majority in the recent elections, securing only 159 of the 400 seats. The DA followed with 87 seats, while the populist uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, garnered 58 seats. In light of these results, the ANC has been engaged in intensive coalition talks to form a governing alliance.
Fikile Mbalula, the ANC Secretary-General, confirmed the coalition, stating, “We have engaged with the DA, and we agreed on the Government of National Unity with them.” He also noted that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) declined to join the coalition, preferring to remain outside the unity government.
The first sitting of parliament saw the election of Thoko Didiza, a member of the ANC’s national executive committee, as the Speaker of the National Assembly. Didiza, who has been serving as Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development, received 284 of the 341 votes cast.
The coalition deal is seen as a strategic move for the DA, allowing it to secure key ministerial positions and influence national policy. It also positions the DA as a cooperative and responsible party focused on national interests. “We understand that the ANC and the Democratic Alliance will form the core of that government of national unity,” noted DW correspondent Dianne Hawker. “The DA has put those election fights behind them and seemingly now have found a way to move forward with the leaders of the ANC.”
Ramaphosa’s re-election is expected to be confirmed later in the day through a secret ballot of lawmakers. The inauguration is tentatively scheduled for June 19 in Pretoria, where Ramaphosa will unveil his new cabinet, including members from the ANC and coalition partners.
As Sihle Zikalala, a member of the ANC’s governing body, aptly put it, “Today marks the beginning of a new era where we put our differences aside and unite for the betterment of all South Africans.”
