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Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as president of South Africa

South Africa's parliament re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as president after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties made a historic deal to work together.

The ANC, led by Mr. Ramaphosa, the Democratic Alliance (DA), and some smaller parties make up the new government of national unity.

When he won, Mr Ramaphosa praised the new union and said that people expected the leaders to "act and work together for the good of everyone in our country."

 

At a time when politics were very tense, the deal was worked out while the National Assembly stayed up late to vote on who would be in charge of the new government.

It had been weeks of talk about who the ANC would work with now that it had lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years. Earlier, a deal was made.

It got 40% of the vote, while the DA only got 22%.

It was a "remarkable step" that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula called the alliance deal.

It meant that Mr Ramaphosa, who took over from Jacob Zuma as president and ANC leader after a nasty power battle in 2018, could keep his job.

The next step is for Mr. Ramaphosa to fill in the cabinet, including DA members.

The multi-party deal does not include the two ANC split parties, and they will likely benefit if it does not bring about the economic changes people want.

However, studies show that many South Africans want this first-of-its-kind grand alliance to work.

The ANC had always gotten more than 50% of the vote since Nelson Mandela won the first democratic elections in 1994.

However, people are losing much support for the party because they are angry about how much corruption, unemployment, and crime there is.

After being confirmed, Mr Ramaphosa spoke to South Africa's government about his party's first presidential win 30 years ago.

"We have been here before; we were here in 1994 when we sought to unite our country and effect reconciliation - and we are here now," said he.

The centre-right DA and the ANC have been enemies for decades, so this is the first time they have worked together.

The ANC was in charge of the fight against apartheid's racist system and won the first democratic elections in the country under Nelson Mandela.

Some people have said that the DA is trying to protect the economic advantages that the country's white population gained during apartheid. The party denies this charge.

The head of the DA, John Steenhuisen, told lawmakers in Cape Town late Friday night, "Today is a historic day for our country, and I think it is the start of a new chapter."

The National Assembly also swore in a speaker from the ANC. The DA was given the job of deputy speaker.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, spoke after the deal was made on Friday. Malema started the Economic Freedom Fighters after leaving the ANC in 2013.

"The results and the voice of the people of South Africa" were acceptable to his party, but he disagreed with the deal. "We do not agree to this marriage of convenience, to consolidate the white monopoly power over the economy and the means of production in South Africa," he said.