South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced his new cabinet, allocating ministerial posts to opposition politicians while retaining close ally Enoch Godongwana as finance minister, signaling continuity in his economic policies.
The announcement of the new executive followed more than a week of negotiations that ensued when the African National Congress invited its rivals to join a so-called government of national unity after losing its parliamentary majority in May 29 elections. Almost a dozen parties accepted the offer and agreed to back Ramaphosa’s reappointment as president in exchange for being allocated other posts.
The new administration is under pressure to tackle state ineptitude, power shortages and logistics snarls that have curtailed economic growth and investment, and fueled already sky-high unemployment.