Cyril Ramaphosa is set to be inaugurated for a second term as South Africa’s president, despite the African National Congress (ANC) failing to secure a majority in last month’s parliamentary election.
Lawmakers re-elected Ramaphosa last week after the ANC formed a coalition government with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other parties.
This election marked a historic moment as the ANC, in power since the end of apartheid in 1994, lost its majority for the first time. The 29 May election resulted in no outright winner, leading to the coalition agreement.
The inauguration ceremony in Pretoria will be attended by various heads of state and dignitaries from countries such as Angola, Uganda, Mozambique, China, Egypt, the State of Palestine, and Cuba.
The event will feature music, artistic performances, a 21-gun salute, military fly-bys, and a march by the country’s defence forces.
However, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, founded six months ago by former President Jacob Zuma, has labeled the inauguration a “farce” and announced that its officials will not participate. The MK party, which secured 15% of the vote and 58 parliamentary seats, also boycotted the first parliamentary session last Friday.
Despite the ANC losing 17% of its vote share and 70 seats, Ramaphosa retained the presidency through a power-sharing arrangement with the pro-business DA and other parties. The ANC garnered 40% of the vote, while the DA received 22%.
The coalition represents a shift towards the political center, as left-wing and populist factions within the ANC refused to join the unity government. Ramaphosa is expected to appoint a cabinet soon, including members from the DA and three other smaller parties, giving the coalition control of 68% of parliamentary seats.
Ramaphosa’s upcoming term will focus on economic recovery, addressing issues like power cuts, rising crime, and unemployment. He first assumed the presidency in 2018 after Jacob Zuma resigned amid corruption allegations, which Zuma denied.
