“The formation of a government of national unity is a moment of profound significance. It is the beginning of a new era.” This was the statement made by Cyril Ramaphosa in his inaugural speech, at the Union Buildings, where he pledged himself to be a President for all South Africans and to work with everybody committed to “a better life for all”. The inauguration, which was overseen by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, and attended by various heads of State as well as former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, marks Ramaphosa’s second stint as South Africa’s leader, but this time, not only backed by his political party, the African National Congress, but also by other parties that make up the GNU. After losing its outright majority in the May 29 national and provincial elections the ANC was forced to forge alliances with other parties to form a national government. In his speech on Wednesday, Ramaphosa compared the GNU to the one that was formed 30 years ago, following the end of Apartheid. “In their multitude, in voices that are many and diverse, the people of South Africa have voted and made known their wishes, their concerns and their expectations. We accept and respect the results of the elections and we once again say the people have spoken. Their will shall be done without any doubt or question. The voters of South Africa did not give any single party the full mandate to govern our country alone. They have directed us to work together to address their plight and realise their aspirations,” he acknowledged. The President conceded that there were many areas in basic service delivery where the previous government fell short – electricity, jobs, land, housing, food, healthcare, safety, corruption – and assured South Africans that he would work with any political party and sector willing to help tackle the challenges facing the country.
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