South Africa: Pres. Ramaphosa Sworn in For Second Term

Facts

• African National Congress (ANC) leader Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in for a second term as South Africa's president in Pretoria on Wednesday.¹
• He was re-elected last week after the ANC formed a government of national unity with five other parties after losing its three-decade majority in May elections.²
• Ramaphosa will appoint his cabinet ministers in the next few days and they are expected to include lawmakers of its rival-turned-partner Democratic Alliance (DA).³
• According to Bloomberg, formal talks about ministerial portfolios have already begun, with the ANC and the pro-business DA set to compete for key economy posts.⁴
• Investors and businesses have reacted positively to this power-sharing deal, with South Africa's currency and stock market showing signs of rebound after falling tentatively amid political uncertainty.⁵
• Meanwhile, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party has filed an urgent application in the Electoral Court contesting the election results and called for a new election date to be set within 90 days, citing 'clear evidence' of vote rigging, fraud, and manipulation.⁶

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²Al Jazeera, ³BBC News, ⁴Bloomberg, ⁵Financial Times and ⁶IOL.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Washington Post. This unlikely coalition was the best possible outcome for South Africa. By moving beyond divisive party politics, the government of national unity will bring previously politically and racially divided parties together to better tackle the country's issues. It will also attract more international investment and economic stability.
• Narrative B, as provided by Daily Maverick. There's no such thing as a government of national unity in South Africa, but rather a return to apartheid and colonialism as the sellout ANC-DA coalition has been agreed to serve the interests of big business and the markets — not those of the people. Progressive and patriotic forces in the country must join efforts to protect the nation.

Predictions