After weeks of coalition wrangling, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new unity administration in South Africa started being sworn in during a televised event in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The newly reappointed deputy president, Paul Mashatile, took the oath of office before the 32 ministers that make up the government.
The leader of the last major opposition party is part of Ramaphosa’s much awaited coalition administration, which he revealed on Sunday. There will be 32 ministries instead of 30. Of these, forty-three are deputy ministers.
After losing its clear parliamentary majority in the May 29 elections, his African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled since the onset of democracy in 1994, attempted to build a government of national unity.
The historical party maintains 20 cabinet posts, including those in the fields of foreign policy, finance, defense, justice, and law enforcement.
Six ministries, including agriculture, public works, and communication, will be led by the Democratic Alliance (DA), its longest-standing adversary and largest coalition partner.
The 48-year-old DA leader John Steenhuisen was named minister of agriculture.He has criticized the ANC, along with his party, for not doing more to address the severe energy issue, the low growth of the economy, and the high rates of violent crime.
Six cabinet slots will be shared by the right-wing Afrikaans party Freedom-Front Plus, the anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance, the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, and several smaller parties.
A pragmatic tilt to the right is signaled by the new government, raising concerns about cohesiveness while also offering optimism for improved governance.
Opposition and business leaders have been criticizing Ramaphosa for the number of ministers, believing it will immobilize the government and be a waste of tax dollars.
A concern that “this cabinet has been increased and bloated, signalling more pressure on taxpayers” was expressed by the opposition Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters.
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