South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in for a second term, bringing his African National Congress (ANC) to power after losing its majority for the first time in 30 years of democracy. The ANC, a former liberation movement, came to power under Nelson Mandela's leadership in the 1994 elections marking the end of apartheid and had long been unbeatable. Following a parliamentary election on May 29, Ramaphosa will head a government of national unity with five other parties, including the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA). Analysts say sharp ideological divisions between the parties could make the government unstable.
Ramaphosa signed into law a National Health Insurance bill that the DA says could collapse a creaking health system. The DA advocates scrapping the ANC's flagship Black economic empowerment programme, saying it hasn't worked, a contentious topic in a nation grappling with huge inequalities, some inherited from apartheid.
African heads of state and dignitaries from as far afield as Cuba, a historical friend of the ANC, gathered outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria to witness Ramaphosa's inauguration. A ceremony full of military pomp and pageantry began, with inter-faith prayers by Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, and traditional African religious leaders reflecting the diversity of South African society.
The ANC remains the largest party after the May 29 election, with 159 seats out of 400 in the National Assembly. However, the DA's vote share remained stable, and it has 87 seats.
