The news
JOHANNESBURG – President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa finally named a cabinet of ministers on Sunday night local time. The new cabinet, which will lead the country’s first national coalition government, includes six members of the Democratic Alliance, previously the official opposition.
Ramaphosa retained key ministries, including finance and defense, for his African National Congress. It will see the return of the country’s Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, to the role that is so important, given the country’s difficult economy. John SteenhuisenDA leader, will be the new Minister of Agriculture.
Ramaphosa said: “All parties are committed to respecting the constitution and promoting accountable and transparent governance, evidence-based policy and decision-making, the professionalization of the public service, integrity and good governance.”
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The ANC was forced to form a coalition government after failing to secure a simple majority in South Africa’s elections on 29 May. The center-right DA won the second largest share of votes in the election and the two traditionally rival parties agreed to form a coalition with smaller parties. This allowed ANC leader Ramaphosa to become the leader of Africa’s largest economy for another five years.
It took the ANC two weeks to negotiate an agreement with the DA, to establish what they call a national unity government, which includes nine other parties.
The party’s main members, the ANC and the DA, have spent the last two weeks in tense negotiations, trying to agree on the right sharing of ministerial positions. At one point, negotiations broke down due to allegations that the prosecution wanted a number of ministers equivalent to its vote share, which would entitle the party to 11 positions. At one point it was reported that Steenhuisen was aiming for the position of vice president.
The jury is still out on whether Ramaphosa’s team will be coherent and able to tackle South Africa’s intractable problems of rising poverty and inequality. Unemployment in South Africa is 32.9% if those who have given up looking for work are not counted, according to the country’s national statistics agency.
