South Africa appoints first coalition government of post-Apartheid era under Ramaphosa

ANC has governed since 1994 but has now partnered with opposition Democratic Alliance after losing majority in May vote

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the African National Congress. AFP

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected for a second term on Friday, after his party entered a coalition government for the first time since the fall of Apartheid.

Mr Ramaphosa's African National Congress and its largest rival, the Democratic Alliance, agreed on Friday to form a government of national unity, after 30 years of ANC rule.

The 71-year-old president needed the support of the Democratic Alliance and other smaller parties to secure the presidency after the ANC lost its 30-year majority in a landmark election two weeks ago.

He was re-elected president with 283 votes in the 400-member parliament. His main challenger, Julius Malema, who leads the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, received 44 votes.

Mr Ramaphosa said he was “humbled and honoured” to be re-elected.

“This is a historic juncture in the life of our country, which requires that we must work and act together,” he said.

The ANC is the party of Nelson Mandela and had ruled South Africa with a comfortable majority since it successfully overcame the Apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994.

For years, the white-led, pro-business Democratic Alliance has been one of the most fierce critics of the ANC.

“Today is a historic day for our country,” its leader John Steenhuisen said.

“And I think it is the start of a new chapter … of us putting our country, … its interests and its future first.”

The Inkatha Freedom Party and the Patriotic Alliance also joined the coalition.

The ANC lost votes in the May election to a new party formed by Jacob Zuma, the former ANC president of South Africa.

The 82-year-old Mr Zuma was forced out of office in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations.

His party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which came third in the election, has disputed the results and its MPs boycotted Friday's sitting.

“The sitting of the national assembly today as far as we're concerned is illegal and unconstitutional,” MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela told AFP.

Mr Malema's party also rejected the coalition government.

Its members took the oath wearing red overalls and in some cases rubber boots and plastic construction worker helmets.

They declined to support the incoming administration, having refused to countenance joining an alliance with right-wing or white-led parties.

“We do not agree to this marriage of convenience to consolidate the white monopoly power over the economy and the means of production,” Mr Malema said in a speech in parliament after Mr Ramaphosa's election.