Scores descend on Union Buildings for Ramaphosa’s inauguration
The Union Buildings amphitheatre and South Lawns was filled with thousands of guests on Wednesday, as president-elect Cyril Ramaphosa prepared to take his oath of office.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the ceremony before lunchtime, which will see Ramaphosa promising to uphold the Constitution.
The attention will soon turn to the president's new cabinet after today's inauguration.
For the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994, the ANC lost its absolute majority in parliament - and was left scrambling to find coalition partners to remain in power.
It has since agreed to form what it calls a national unity government, with several opposition parties.
[WATCH] The arrival of King Misuzulu KaZwelithini. ANC deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokoyane &DIRCO minister Naledi Pandor are the program directors. Mokonyane is introducing dignitaries as they arrive. Among them are royalty &religious leaders #PresidentialInauguration2024 pic.twitter.com/Wd6TtbJdG4
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) June 19, 2024
The DA's chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said negotiations around the composition of the cabinet continued.
"The agreement that we signed does, in fact, say that the cabinet should be proportionally preventive of the parties to that GNU agreement. So we are likely to see that, but of course, as the constitution says it is the prerogative of the president."
Meanwhile, former ANC chief whip in Parliament Pemmy Majodina said the inauguration of a president is an important occasion in the country's democracy.
[WATCH] The newly elected National Assembly speaker, Thoko Didiza has arrived at the Nelson Mandela Amphitheater.#PresidentialInauguration2024 pic.twitter.com/dJHDp5Uzfa
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) June 19, 2024
"Once you are inaugurated, you bring stability into the country, then South Africans who voted will know who their president is officially. So this is an important occasion in our democracy that this is the seventh president of a democratically elected government."
ALSO READ: NATJOINTS ‘ready’ to police the presidential inauguration
The event will take place under tight security, with a full program that includes entertainment, a 21-gun salute, and a flyover by the South African Air Force.
Pieter Groenewald, who's with the Freedom Front Plus, said his party's eagerly awaiting the announcement of the new cabinet.
He says their agreement with the ANC has already borne some fruit.
"We already have an agreement in the Northern Cape as far as the government is concerned , but it will be interesting to see who is going to serve in the cabinet. So let us wait for those surprises."
