dpa
Cape Town
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his new Cabinet on Monday, confirming the handover of 12 ministerial posts to opposition parties in a televised speech.
The largest opposition party, the economically liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), will take on six positions with DA party leader, John Steenhuisen, named to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Ramaphosa said.
With 20 ministries, including key ministries such as Foreign Affairs, Defence, Energy and Finance, the African National Congress (ANC) retains the lion’s share of Cabinet posts.
With a total of 32 ministerial posts, the Cabinet is two seats larger than in previous years.
The new government consists of 11 parties, expected to lead the African continent’s strongest economy in a government of national unity.
Ramaphosa’s ANC lost its absolute majority for the first time in 30 years in the parliamentary elections on May 29 and can no longer govern alone. The new government plans to prioritize economic growth, social justice and democratic renewal of the country.