The African National Congress and its largest rival, the white-led, pro-business Democratic Alliance, agreed on Friday to work together in South Africa’s new government of national unity.
The ANC, which lost its parliamentary majority in a May election, agreed to enter into a government of national unity.
The ANC losing supporters in the last vote meant it needed MPs from parties that were once its main political foes to now support Mr Ramaphosa and continue the ANC’s three-decade hold on the presidency.
“Today, South Africa is a better country than it was yesterday. For the first time since 1994, we’ve embarked on a peaceful and democratic transfer of power to a new government that will be different from the previous one,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said in a televised address.
“From today, the DA will co-govern the Republic of South Africa in a spirit of unity and collaboration,” he said, adding that multi-party government was the “new normal”.
The deal marks the start of a new era in South African politics as the ANC has been in power since the election of Mandela back in 1994.
Following two weeks of intensive talks with opposition parties, Sihle Zikalala, a member of the ANC’s governing body, said in a post on X: “Today marks the beginning of a new era where we put our differences aside and unite for the betterment of all South Africans.”
Peoplesmind
