Defeated Win, Cyril Ramaphosa Returns To The Position Of South African President

South African Presidential Election (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - South African lawmaker, Friday, June 14, re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as president for a second term at the first trial of the legislative body. Ramaphosa, 71, leader of the African National Congress (ANC) party won a landslide victory by gaining 283 votes, beating Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party who won 44 votes.

The ANC, once led by civil rights icon Nelson Mandela, has dominated South Africa's politics over the past three decades, leading to a loss of majority votes in national elections on May 29.

The ANC has 159 members of parliament in the National Assembly consisting of 400 people, making it difficult for ANC to form its own government. He proposed the formation of a national unity government.

Earlier on the same day, ANC reached an agreement to form a national unity government with the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the Freedom of Inkatha Party (IFP).

Quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, June 15, Ramaphosa thanked the MPs who voted for him and promised to work and serve all South Africans.

He said in his speech that this was an extraordinary moment to see political parties competing in difficult elections and dividing agreed to cooperate in the government of national unity.

"I want to state clearly, this is not a major coalition consisting of two or three parties," Ramaphosa said, adding that more parties are welcome to voluntarily join the government of national unity.

Malema congratulated Ramaphosa on re-electing but said he was unhappy with several parties in the national unity government, particularly the Democratic Alliance.

He said his party would ensure parliament functions because there would be a vocal opposition that would oversee the executive.