South Africa’s new unity government under President Cyril Ramaphosa began being sworn in during a televised ceremony in Cape Town on Wednesday following weeks of coalition haggling.
The newly reappointed deputy president, Paul Mashatile, took the oath of office before the 32 ministers that make up the government.
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, economics, 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.
Along with his party, he has criticised the ANC for failing to tackle high violent crime rates, a lacklustre economy and a crippling energy crisis.
The Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance, right-wing Afrikaans party Freedom-Front Plus and other smaller parties will hold six cabinet positions between them.
The new government heralds a pragmatic shift to the centre right, bringing hope for better governance but also cohesion fears.
Ramaphosa has been under fire from opposition and business leaders over the number of ministers, with fears that the government will become immobilised and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
