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On Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated a new parliament, nearly two months after a landmark election reshaped the country’s political landscape, leading to the formation of an unprecedented multi-party coalition government.
Addressing lawmakers at Cape Town City Hall, which serves as a temporary venue after the parliament building was gutted by fire two years ago, Ramaphosa marked the official start of operations for the new coalition. This coalition, which includes at least ten parties, aims to govern Africa’s most industrialized nation.
In his speech, Ramaphosa acknowledged the political differences within his government but emphasized a united front to tackle South Africa’s three main challenges: the unemployment crisis, pervasive poverty and inequality, and the erosion of state institutions due to corruption and neglect—issues for which the African National Congress (ANC), his party, has been largely responsible.
The May 29 election was a turning point for South Africa. Frustrated voters, dealing with these critical issues, delivered the ANC its worst result ever, ending the majority it had held since the end of apartheid, a system characterized by racial segregation and white minority rule.
“Despite the achievements of 30 years of democracy, millions of South Africans remain poor, unemployed, and live in a deeply unequal society,” Ramaphosa stated, acknowledging some of the ANC’s failures. “The circumstances of South Africa today demand that we act together.”
Ramaphosa’s speech heralded the beginning of what South Africa calls “the seventh administration,” the seventh government since the end of apartheid in 1994, when people of all races were first allowed to vote.
His call for unity across political lines was met with applause from lawmakers, many of whom are now part of the governing coalition, including the Democratic Alliance, once the ANC’s most bitter political rival.
This shift also resulted in a new official opposition, the recently founded MK party led by former South African President Jacob Zuma, an ex-ANC leader who became Ramaphosa’s fiercest critic. MK MPs were generally quiet during their first session, as were members of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party, which has an opposition alliance with MK. Zuma was absent due to his disqualification from parliament following a 2021 criminal conviction and prison sentence for contempt of court.
Beginning his second and final five-year term, Ramaphosa, once a protégé of Nelson Mandela, faces the challenge of maintaining a broad coalition with sharp political differences amid serious national problems. South Africa has the highest unemployment rate in the world at 32% and is considered the most unequal country globally in terms of wealth distribution, with an economy stagnating for over a decade.
To address these issues, Ramaphosa stated that his coalition government, dubbed the “government of national unity,” would prioritize growth and job creation by expanding opportunities in sectors such as mining, agriculture, small businesses, and green energy, while also eliminating corruption and reducing bureaucracy.
His broad-brush speech aimed at uniting the country after a hard-fought and divisive election offered few policy details. “The inter-party cooperation is a historic moment for our country,” Ramaphosa said. “We share a commitment to reconcile our nation.”
