Which Parties Comprise The National Unity Coalition Of South Africa?

After the African National Congress lost its legislative majority in a historic election outcome in late May, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa formed an unusual power-sharing deal in the continent’s largest industrialized nation, appointing seven diverse parties to his Cabinet.

With the ANC’s unveiling of the new Cabinet on Sunday night, South Africa entered unknown political ground following the party’s 30-year control. The ANC freed the nation from apartheid’s white minority rule in 1994 and had ruled ever since.

The Democratic Alliance, the white-led former main opposition party that has now agreed to share power with the ANC, and Ramaphosa’s ANC engaged in tense and occasionally contentious negotiations that culminated in the formation of the new multiparty Cabinet.

While the coalition is made up of 11 parties, including seven with Cabinet roles, the agreement mostly hinges on the ANC and the DA — the two biggest parties — putting aside their ideological differences and more than 20 years of being political adversaries to work together.

Paul Mashatile, the ANC’s deputy president, was reappointed by Ramaphosa, who also retained ANC officials in charge of the important ministries of trade and industry, foreign affairs, defense, and justice. Having received the highest percentage of votes (40%) in the election, the ANC is home to 20 out of the 32 Cabinet minister posts.