JOHANNESBURG - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected to a second term by lawmakers after his African National Congress and Democratic Alliance struck a historic deal to form a coalition government, bypassing their rivalry.
Ramaphosa's ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years in elections held last month. It received 40 percent of the votes, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) came in second place with 22 percent.
The new government of national unity combines Ramaphosa's ANC, the centre-right DA and smaller parties. Ramaphosa, 71, easily won the vote late on Friday against Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).Ramaphosa got 283 votes and Malema got only 44.
Parliament earlier in the day elected the ANC's Thoko Didiza as Speaker and the DA's Annelies Lotriet as Deputy Speaker.
Ramaphosa is expected to announce his new Cabinet after his inauguration on Wednesday. In his victory speech, Ramaphosa praised the new coalition, and said voters expected the leaders to "work together for the good of everyone in our country." do".
His election, which ended days of speculation, came near midnight on Friday with last-minute inter-party discussions to establish a government of national unity (GNU).The Parliament session witnessed frequent disruptions and a lengthy voting process.
The ANC tied with the largely white DA and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which finished fifth, along with the minority party Patriotic Front (PF), drawing mixed reactions from both members of their respective parties and citizens. .Some welcomed the coalition as a new era in South African politics that would send a strong message of reconciliation and strengthen the ailing economy, especially after Mkhonto we Sizwe (MK) – ousted former President The new party – launched by Jacob Zuma – and the EFF, which came fourth, refused to work with the DA.
Others said the ANC had sold out the country's citizens by partnering with the DA, which was the official opposition and had opposed many ANC policies since it first came to power under Nelson Mandela in 1994.
However, GNU partners were unanimous that the alliance was in the interests of the people of South Africa."We have been voted in by six million people who want us to continue our transformative agenda to improve people's lives," ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told a media conference inside parliament as voting continued. He acknowledged that the ANC cannot do this work alone.
“We are in no position to rule this country alone. We need to work with others,” Mbalula said.
DA leader John Steenhuisen was also excited.“The statement that has emerged from the intense but very mature conversations of the last two weeks points a new path for our country.
“At the heart of this statement is a shared respect for defending the rule of law, including our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Steenhuisen said.
IFP spokesperson Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi said the party had agreed to vote for the candidates proposed by the ANC. “As leaders, the people of this country have entrusted us and it is up to the 400 members present in the House,” Buthelezi said. It depends on how they take the country forward."
“I am thrilled that our leaders have put South Africa first,” said PF leader Guyton McKenzie.,
South Africa was on alert until 20 minutes before the start of the session on Friday morning, when there was still uncertainty about the GNU. MK surprised analysts and pollsters by coming third in the polls, but alleged irregularities in the election Decided to stay away from the parliamentary session in protest, for which he has not yet provided any evidence despite filing legal process.
EFF vice-president Floyd Shimbu said the DA was born out of the colonial apartheid era and was only interested in "protecting white minority interests and privileges".
Other minority parties refused to join the GNU, but with only a few seats in parliament, some having only one seat, their votes were considered negligible in the final tally. The prime ministers of the nine provinces were also elected separately in the provincial capitals. Elected in separate meetings.The IFP defeated MK due to a coalition inspired by the national GNU, despite MK having a 45 percent majority for the premiership in KwaZulu-Natal province.
In the Western Cape, already ruled by the DA for several years, its candidate was returned to the premiership. All seven other provinces, including the economic hub of Gauteng, will now again have ANC premiers.
Amid concerns that investors would stay away if the EFF and MK came to power with their nationalization policies, shares on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange jumped as the GNU news emerged, particularly in the financial sector.
The ANC has always polled above 50 percent since the country's first democratic elections in 1994, in which Nelson Mandela became president.However, support for the party is declining significantly due to anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime.
Addressing the South African Parliament after his confirmation, Ramaphosa referred to his party's first presidential victory 30 years ago.
He said, “We have been here before, we were here in 1994 when we tried to unite our country and effect reconciliation – and we are here now."
Ramaphosa's ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years in elections held last month. It received 40 percent of the votes, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) came in second place with 22 percent.
The new government of national unity combines Ramaphosa's ANC, the centre-right DA and smaller parties. Ramaphosa, 71, easily won the vote late on Friday against Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).Ramaphosa got 283 votes and Malema got only 44.
Parliament earlier in the day elected the ANC's Thoko Didiza as Speaker and the DA's Annelies Lotriet as Deputy Speaker.
Ramaphosa is expected to announce his new Cabinet after his inauguration on Wednesday. In his victory speech, Ramaphosa praised the new coalition, and said voters expected the leaders to "work together for the good of everyone in our country." do".
His election, which ended days of speculation, came near midnight on Friday with last-minute inter-party discussions to establish a government of national unity (GNU).The Parliament session witnessed frequent disruptions and a lengthy voting process.
The ANC tied with the largely white DA and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which finished fifth, along with the minority party Patriotic Front (PF), drawing mixed reactions from both members of their respective parties and citizens. .Some welcomed the coalition as a new era in South African politics that would send a strong message of reconciliation and strengthen the ailing economy, especially after Mkhonto we Sizwe (MK) – ousted former President The new party – launched by Jacob Zuma – and the EFF, which came fourth, refused to work with the DA.
Others said the ANC had sold out the country's citizens by partnering with the DA, which was the official opposition and had opposed many ANC policies since it first came to power under Nelson Mandela in 1994.
However, GNU partners were unanimous that the alliance was in the interests of the people of South Africa."We have been voted in by six million people who want us to continue our transformative agenda to improve people's lives," ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told a media conference inside parliament as voting continued. He acknowledged that the ANC cannot do this work alone.
“We are in no position to rule this country alone. We need to work with others,” Mbalula said.
DA leader John Steenhuisen was also excited.“The statement that has emerged from the intense but very mature conversations of the last two weeks points a new path for our country.
“At the heart of this statement is a shared respect for defending the rule of law, including our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Steenhuisen said.
IFP spokesperson Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi said the party had agreed to vote for the candidates proposed by the ANC. “As leaders, the people of this country have entrusted us and it is up to the 400 members present in the House,” Buthelezi said. It depends on how they take the country forward."
“I am thrilled that our leaders have put South Africa first,” said PF leader Guyton McKenzie.,
South Africa was on alert until 20 minutes before the start of the session on Friday morning, when there was still uncertainty about the GNU. MK surprised analysts and pollsters by coming third in the polls, but alleged irregularities in the election Decided to stay away from the parliamentary session in protest, for which he has not yet provided any evidence despite filing legal process.
EFF vice-president Floyd Shimbu said the DA was born out of the colonial apartheid era and was only interested in "protecting white minority interests and privileges".
Other minority parties refused to join the GNU, but with only a few seats in parliament, some having only one seat, their votes were considered negligible in the final tally. The prime ministers of the nine provinces were also elected separately in the provincial capitals. Elected in separate meetings.The IFP defeated MK due to a coalition inspired by the national GNU, despite MK having a 45 percent majority for the premiership in KwaZulu-Natal province.
In the Western Cape, already ruled by the DA for several years, its candidate was returned to the premiership. All seven other provinces, including the economic hub of Gauteng, will now again have ANC premiers.
Amid concerns that investors would stay away if the EFF and MK came to power with their nationalization policies, shares on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange jumped as the GNU news emerged, particularly in the financial sector.
The ANC has always polled above 50 percent since the country's first democratic elections in 1994, in which Nelson Mandela became president.However, support for the party is declining significantly due to anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime.
Addressing the South African Parliament after his confirmation, Ramaphosa referred to his party's first presidential victory 30 years ago.
He said, “We have been here before, we were here in 1994 when we tried to unite our country and effect reconciliation – and we are here now."
