The winners and losers in South Africa’s historic new government

Living up to his reputation as a skilled negotiator, South Africa’s President Cyril Rampahosa appears to have outmanoeuvred his main coalition partner – the Democratic Alliance (DA) – in talks over the formation of a new government, while also taking steps to neutralise radical opposition parties demanding the nationalisation of white-owned land.

Mr Ramaphosa announced a 32-member cabinet on Sunday, which saw him keep 20 posts – more than 60% – for his African National Congress (ANC).

In contrast, he gave the centre-right DA six seats – less than 20% – despite the party demanding 30%, following a power-sharing deal it signed with the ANC after the 29 May election failed to produce an outright winner.

But to boost the DA’s representation in the government, Mr Ramaphosa also appointed six of the party’s officials as deputy ministers, including in finance where the ANC’s Enoch Godongwana – respected by both the business sector and trade unions – has remained in charge.

The appointments came after tough negotiations with the DA and a furious exchange of letters, which saw Mr Ramaphosa accuse the party of trying to form a “parallel government” in breach of the constitution.

Mr Ramaphosa further diluted the DA’s influence in the new cabinet by giving another six posts to smaller parties – from the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) to the Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front Plus, making it the most ideologically diverse government in South Africa’s history.

In keeping with tradition since the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994, the government also represents all race groups, with ministerial or deputy ministerial posts given to members of the white, coloured – as people of mixed race are referred to in South Africa – and Indian communities.

This comes after an election in which voters showed that they “don’t care if the cat is black or white, but whether it catches the mice”, political analyst Thembisa Fakude told the BBC.

However, there is still resistance to Mr Ramaphosa’s decision to sign a coalition deal with the DA.

Led by John Steenhuisen, the party is often accused of trying to protect the economic privileges that white people built up during apartheid – a charge it denies.

“Oil and water do not mix,” a black security guard told the BBC.

Forming what he called a government of national unity, Mr Ramaphosa also gave a deputy ministerial post to the Muslim Al Jama-ah party, in a clear sign that he intends to continue backing the Palestinians over Israel,…