Cyril Ramaphosa Re-Elected South African President

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By  News On Air   Jun 15, 2024

Cyril Ramaphosa is re-elected as South Africa’s president following a landmark coalition deal between his African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties.

The new government of national unity combines Mr Ramaphosa’s ANC, the centre-right Democratic Alliance and other smaller parties.

The 71-year-old Ramaphosa won convincingly in a Parliament vote against a surprise candidate, Julius Malema, the leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters. Mr. Ramaphosa got 283 votes against Malema’s 44 in the 400-member house.

Cyril Ramaphosa secured his second term, after striking a crucial agreement just hours before the vote for the president with once its fiercest political rival, the Democratic Alliance party, as ANC lost its 30-year majority in Africa’s national assembly.

In elections last month, the vote share of African National Congress dropped to 40%, while the Democratic Alliance emerged as the second largest party with 22% of the votes.

The parties will now co-govern South Africa in its first national coalition where no party has a majority.