South Africa’s New Unity Gov’t Sworn In Amid Coalition Hiccups

South Africa’s new unity government, headed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has been sworn in on Wednesday after a prolonged period of coalition negotiations.

The inauguration ceremony, held in Cape Town, saw Paul Mashatile, reappointed as deputy president, leading the swearing-in of the 32 ministers that now constitute the cabinet. This follows Ramaphosa’s unveiling of his coalition government on Sunday, marking a significant political development after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its outright parliamentary majority in the May 29 elections.

President Ramaphosa, 71, has introduced a cabinet that expands from 30 to 32 ministries and includes 43 deputy ministers. The new government aims to embody a coalition of national unity, integrating leaders from various opposition parties. This strategic move is expected to foster better governance despite raising concerns about cohesion and government efficiency.

The ANC retains control over 20 cabinet positions, including critical portfolios such as foreign affairs, finance, defence, justice, and police. The largest coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), led by John Steenhuisen, has been allocated six ministries, notably agriculture, public works, and communication. Steenhuisen, 48, has been appointed as the agriculture minister, a role from which he aims to address pressing issues such as high violent crime rates, economic stagnation, and the severe energy crisis that the country faces.

In addition to the DA, the new cabinet includes representatives from the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, the anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance, the right-wing Afrikaans party Freedom-Front Plus, and other smaller parties, collectively holding six cabinet positions.

While this coalition marks a pragmatic shift towards the center-right, raising hopes for improved governance, it has also sparked criticism. Opposition and business leaders have expressed concerns about the increased number of ministers, fearing government immobilization and unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers’ money. The leftist Economic Freedom Fighters have notably voiced their disapproval, stating, “This cabinet has been increased and bloated, signaling more pressure on taxpayers.”