South African lawmakers commenced their swearing-in ceremony on Friday, June 14, in Cape Town. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo oversaw the first part of the parliamentary session, during which the newly elected lawmakers took the oath of office.

Following the swearing-in, parliamentarians will move to the second part of the session to elect the president and vice president. Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking a second term as president of Africa’s most industrialized economy. However, his African National Congress (ANC) has been weakened after losing its long-held parliamentary majority in the election last month.

Eighteen political parties are represented in the South African Parliament for this five-year term. The ANC holds 159 seats, while smaller parties like the PAC, the GOOD party, and the UAT party each hold one seat. The MK Party, which finished third in the May 29 election, has decided not to attend the inaugural session, alleging election rigging by the Independent Electoral Commission.

The session is expected to reveal the details of the unity government that the ANC has formed. Late Thursday, the party announced it had reached a coalition agreement in principle with the Democratic Alliance (DA) party and several smaller groups. This coalition is crucial for the ANC to secure enough support to re-elect Ramaphosa.

As South Africa’s political landscape shifts, the newly formed coalition government aims to address the challenges facing the nation and navigate the complexities of a multi-party parliamentary system.