This historic agreement brings together Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA), and several smaller parties.

The coalition deal was reached after a day of high political drama, with the National Assembly sitting late into the evening to determine the new administration's power structure. This comes after weeks of speculation about which party the ANC would join forces with, following the loss of its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years during last month's elections. The ANC received 40% of the vote, while the DA emerged as the second-largest party with 22%.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula hailed the coalition deal as a "remarkable step," ensuring that Ramaphosa, who replaced Jacob Zuma amidst a bitter power struggle in 2018, can retain power. This is significant because the ANC has consistently polled above 50% since South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela become president. However, the party's support has dwindled due to widespread dissatisfaction with corruption, unemployment, and crime.

The alliance between the ANC and the centre-right DA is unprecedented, as the two parties have been rivals for decades. The ANC led the campaign against the racist system of apartheid in 1994, while critics of the DA have accused it of protecting the economic privileges of the country's white minority built during apartheid, a charge the party vehemently denies.

In a late-night address to lawmakers in Cape Town, John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA, described the day as "historic" and the start of a new chapter for the country. As part of the coalition agreement, the ANC's candidate was elected as the speaker of the National Assembly, while the position of deputy speaker went to the DA.

The new government of national unity marks a significant shift in South African politics and brings together competing ideologies to address the country's pressing challenges. As Ramaphosa embarks on his renewed term as president, the nation awaits the implementation of policies and reforms aimed at tackling corruption, unemployment, and crime.