Cyril Ramaphosa, on Friday, was re-elected for a second term as the President of South Africa, following a historic coalition between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). Ramaphosa won 283 votes to Julius Malema’s 44 in the vote. His re-election followed the country’s general elections, which saw the ANC losing majority for the first time in three decades.
Ramaphosa’s inclusive approach and call for a Government of National Unity aim to stabilize the country’s political landscape, despite internal ANC divisions and external opposition. The 71-year-old has helmed many policy changes, making land reform and the economy his main priorities.
The DA, which secured nearly 22% of the vote, announced it would support Ramaphosa in exchange for key parliamentary positions, signaling a major political shift. This agreement follows the ANC’s loss of its parliamentary majority in the May 29 elections, where its support plummeted to 40.2% from 57.5% in 2019 due to voter dissatisfaction with unemployment and public services.
DA leader John Steenhuisen declared the coalition marks the DA’s entry into national governance, emphasizing a new era of collaboration. This move was welcomed by businesses and investors, with expectations that Ramaphosa will continue promoting private sector involvement in renewable energy, reducing power cuts.
The ANC-DA “statement of intent” commits to a merit-based civil service, addressing long-standing DA criticisms of ANC’s “cadre deployment”. The coalition will also include the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Patriotic Alliance (PA), diversifying the government’s composition.
The newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, captured 14.6% of the vote but has boycotted parliament, opposing Ramaphosa’s leadership. Meanwhile, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, refused to join the coalition, rejecting any alliance with the DA.