Ramaphosa announces the appointment of a new South African government. with long-time rivals

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the formation of a new government with historic opposition parties receiving 12 of the 32 portfolios after coalition negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) party and others were successful.

In the last elections, held in late May, it became clear that the ANC would no longer have an absolute majority in parliament, prompting the party to seek new partners to form a coalition government. The second largest party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), a historic rival of the ANC, has become an unlikely candidate for a coalition government.

In this latest formula, the ANC will retain key cabinet positions, including in key ministries such as foreign affairs, finance, defence, justice and police.

Of the 32 ministerial posts, the DA will hold six, including those of the Interior, the Environment and Public Works.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has been appointed Minister of Agriculture.

Other smaller parties and the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won six ministerial posts, which include land reform, correctional services, sports, tourism and the civil service.

“The establishment of the Government of National Unity in its current form is unprecedented in the history of our democracy,” Mr Ramaphosa said, speaking from Pretoria in a televised address.

“The new government will prioritize rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and creating a fairer society by tackling poverty and inequality as well as unemployment,” he stressed.

Read more: Zuma’s growing MK party to join South African opposition

ANC splinter parties form unprecedented opposition

On the other hand, the participation of ANC breakaway parties in this year’s elections has formed an unprecedented new South African opposition.

South Africa’s uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party has joined an alliance of opposition parties in parliament, following the results of a landmark election. Although the main opposition parties such as the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have their roots in the ANC, the parties have clearly distinguished themselves due to previous intra-party conflicts that led to the formation of the MK and EFF.

Previously, the ANC, led by President Ramaphosa, and the DA were rivals, with the DA having led the opposition from 1999 until the 2024 elections. In contrast, the ANC, which emerged from the South African revolution led by Nelson Mandela has held a quasi-majority position in the South African National Assembly since 1994.

However, this year the ANC suffered a resounding loss of 71 seats in the National Congress, forcing it to form a coalition government with the DA.

MK party to lead opposition against ‘unholy alliance led by whites’

The MK Party also boycotted the first sitting of the National Assembly on Friday after filing a complaint with the country’s highest court alleging electoral fraud, which the court later dismissed.

MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela told reporters the party would join the alliance called the Progressive Caucus, which includes the Marxist EFF and the centre-left United Democratic Movement.

The alliance holds nearly 30 percent of the seats in the National Assembly, Ndhlela said, sitting next to Zuma and leaders of several smaller parties in the assembly.

“This united effort is necessary because the 2024 elections have also brought about the consolidation of right-wing and reactionary forces that oppose economic freedom, radical economic transformation, racial equality and land reclamation,” he said.

For his part, Zuma said the national unity government made “no sense”, calling it an “unholy white-led alliance”.

Ndhlela said MK had decided to accede to his National Assembly seats after receiving legal advice and would continue to raise his allegations of rigged elections in Parliament and in court.

Read more: South Africa’s ANC eyes unity government after losing majority in Assembly