South Africa’s new coalition government: What we know so far

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa named a new Cabinet late on June 30, marking the beginning of the country's new coalition government, AP reported.

The agreed coalition consists of Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC), main former opposition party the Democratic Alliance (DA), and nine other parties, it said. This agreement came a month after South Africa concluded its national elections on May 29.

Notably, this is not the first time that South Africa has seen a coalition government. In 1994, despite winning a clear majority, ANC chief Nelson Mandela invited other parties to join the government. The conditions this time were not the same, as ANC needed help from other lawmakers to reelect Ramaphosa for a second term, as per the AP report.

So, here's what we know so far:

• ANC loses absolute majority: ANC loses majority: Ramaphosa's party saw its vote share slide to 40 per cent, losing the 30-year majority it had held in South Africa since the Apartheid regime fell in 1994. The DA saw its vote share rise to 21 per cent. Frustration over poverty, inequality and unemployment were reasons for the ANC losing favour, and Ramaphosa said these would now be priorities.
• Government of National Unity: The ANC called for a "government of national unity", opening the alliance to any of the 18 parties with representatives in Parliament, but some refused to participate. The DA was also reportedly on the verge of walking away until a meeting between Ramaphosa and DA leader John Steenhuisen on June 28.
• Cabinet Composition: The ANC retained the majority assignments, keeping 20 of the 32 Cabinet minister seats, while the DA took six seats, two for the Inkatha Freedom Party, and the remaining four went to other alliance partners.

Cabinet Appointments

• Cyril Ramaphosa has been reelected as President.
• Paul Mashatile, 62, of the ANC will continue as deputy President. This is his second term on the post.
• Parks Tau, 54, of the ANC will hold the key portfolio as the Minister of Trade and Industry. The ANC and the DA highly coveted the post.
• DA leader John Steenhuisen, 48, is the Minister of Agriculture.
• Enoch Godongwana, 67, of the ANC is Finance Minister. He has held the post since August 2021.
• Ronald Lamola, 40, of the ANC is Minister of International Relations. He previously held the Justice and Correctional Services Ministry.
• Gwede Mantashe, 69, of the ANC is Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. He previously served as minister of mineral resources and energy.
• Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, 49, of the ANC is Minister of Energy and Electricity. Notably, the energy portfolio was removed from mineral resources and combined with electricity in March 2023 and Ramokgopa has since held the portfolio.
• Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, 47, of the ANC is reinstated as Minister in the Presidency.

• Siviwe Gwarube, 34, of the ANC is Minister of Basic Education. She was previously the Department of Health’s head of ministry in the Western Cape.
• Solly Malatsi, 38, of the DA, is Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies. He is also the DA's spokesman and deputy federal chairperson.
• Dean Macpherson, 39, of the DA, is Minister of Public Works.
• Velenkosini Hlabisa, 59, is Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. He is president of the IFP, the country’s fifth-largest party.
• Leon Schreiber, 35, of the DA, is Minister of Home Affairs.
• Dion George, 58, of the DA, is now the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
• Ashor Sarupen, a DA lawmaker, is second deputy finance minister.
• Barbara Creecy, of the ANC, takes over the Transport Ministry.

(With inputs from AP and Bloomberg)