South African President Ramaphosa vows to fight inequality as power-sharing begins

A weakened South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, pledged on Wednesday that his new multi-party government would work to improve basic living conditions for all citizens as he was sworn in for a second term in office.

Ramaphosa's African National Congress will be sharing power with five other parties after it was humbled in a May 29 election, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years of democracy.

South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa (CL) and his wife Tshepo Motsepe (CR) arrive ahead of his inauguration as president at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on June 19, 2024. (Photo: PHILL MAGAKOE/Pool)

The voters "have been unequivocal in expressing their disappointment and disapproval of our performance in some of the areas in which we have failed them," Ramaphosa said at his inauguration ceremony in the capital, Pretoria.

He said the voters wanted everyone to have enough food, decent homes, clean water, an affordable and uninterrupted electricity supply, well-maintained roads, good care for the sick and elderly, quality schools and other basic services.

"Today, I stand before you as your humble servant to say we have heard you," he said. "In this moment, we must choose to move forward, to close the distances between South Africans and to build a more equal society."

The ANC remains the largest party after the election, followed by the pro-business Democratic Alliance, a critic of the ANC's record in office, which has agreed to join the new government.

Ideological divisions

While investors have welcomed the inclusion of the DA, which wants to boost growth through structural reforms and prudent fiscal policies, analysts say sharp ideological divisions between the parties could make the government unstable.

Just before the election, Ramaphosa signed into law a National Health Insurance bill that the DA says could collapse a creaking health system. It was unclear what would happen to that law under the new government.

South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa (C) and his wife Tshepo Motsepe (unseen) arrive ahead of his inauguration as president at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on June 19, 2024. (Photo: PHILL MAGAKOE/Pool)

The DA advocates scrapping the ANC's flagship Black economic empowerment programme, saying it hasn't worked -- a highly contentious topic in a nation grappling with huge inequalities, some inherited from apartheid.

Ramaphosa has yet to announce the makeup of his new government, which will be negotiated with members of the new alliance.

A former liberation movement, the ANC came to power under Nelson Mandela's leadership in the 1994 elections that marked the end of apartheid and had long been unbeatable, but it lost its shine after presiding over years of decline.

Poverty and crime

Weary of high levels of poverty and unemployment, rampant crime, rolling power cuts and corruption in party ranks, voters punished the ANC, which lost millions of votes on May 29 compared with the previous election in 2019.

"Our society remains deeply unequal and highly polarised," Ramaphosa said.

"We are divided between those who have jobs and those who do not work, between those who have the means to build and enjoy a comfortable life and those who do not."

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, the seat of the South African government, to bear witness to Ramaphosa's inauguration.

Among them were Kenyan leaders led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and opposition chief Raila Odinga.

Today, on behalf of our President, H. E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, together with Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegations, I witnessed the swearing in of H. E. Cyril Ramaphosa as President of the Republic of South Africa at the Union Buildings in the Pretoria City. pic.twitter.com/oXc0HgobmA

— H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH (@rigathi) June 19, 2024

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 country's diversity.

Military helicopters flew past in blazing sunshine, trailing South African flags, to cheers from the audience.

It was a pleasure seeing Azimio Leader Raila Odinga also attending this important occasion.

Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang'wa, his Kajiado counterpart Seki Lenku, our High Commissioner to South Africa Jane Ndurumo, among other leaders accompanied me. pic.twitter.com/Ydl4u6uzUk

— H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH (@rigathi) June 19, 2024