Despite the historic loss of power by the ruling ANC party in the parliamentary elections, South Africa’s President Ramaphosa was confirmed in office. Now he must manage to form a stable government.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has been confirmed for a second term by the country’s newly elected parliament. The 71-year-old received 283 out of 339 votes, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo announced late Friday evening.
The opposing candidate, Julius Malema from the left-wing radical EFF, received 44 votes. According to government sources, Ramaphosa’s re-inauguration will take place next Wednesday in Pretoria.
Cooperation with all parties sought
Ramaphosa, the leader of the African National Congress (ANC), will now form a new government. The ANC says it is seeking cooperation with all parties represented in parliament.
The ANC’s partners include the centrist-liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), the nationalist Zulu party Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and, according to the ANC, the small centre-left party United Democratic Movement and the right-wing Afrikaner Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
A memorandum of understanding was signed on Friday with the largest opposition party to date, the DA. The so-called Government of National Unity is a kind of grand coalition, but without any fixed coalition agreements.
ANC can no longer govern alone
In the parliamentary elections on May 29, the ANC, the party of former anti-apartheid fighter Nelson Mandela, suffered a massive loss of power.
This means that the party can no longer govern the continent’s strongest economy alone and must form a coalition for the first time in 30 years. The ANC has 159 of 400 seats in parliament, while the DA has 87 seats in parliament.
Concern about unstable government
John Steenhuisen, a leading DA politician, said in Cape Town that after two weeks of intensive negotiations, a new chapter was beginning in South Africa. The signed memorandum of understanding stated that such a coalition, which would include other parties, was in the interests of all South Africans.
However, not all ANC representatives are happy about cooperation with the economically liberal DA, which, in the eyes of some ANC supporters, primarily represents the interests of the white minority in South Africa.
Negotiations between the ANC and other parties represented in Parliament are still ongoing, and political commentators have warned that a government of national unity could lead to an unstable and inefficient government.
Reforms are urgently needed in the country of 61 million inhabitants. For years, South Africa has suffered from an ailing economy, mass unemployment, deep-seated corruption, ailing state-owned companies and dilapidated infrastructure, as well as a crumbling health and education sector.