Ramaphosa’s executive set to officially take office after swearing-in ceremony

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa's executive will officially take office on Wednesday following a swearing-in ceremony.

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the ceremony to swear in 76 members of the executive, which include Deputy President Paul Mashatile, 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers.

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The ceremony returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where the first sitting of Parliament was held in June.

The swearing-in of the Government of National Unity (GNU) executive follows weeks of intense negotiations and public disagreements between the African National Congress (ANC) and its new partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony will see DA leader John Steenhuisen and his fellow party member, Siviwe Gwarube, making their debuts in national government.

The two are part of a total of six DA ministers and six deputy ministers.

Steenhuisen will take up the reins as minister of agriculture while Gwarube takes the oath as the Minister of Basic Education replacing Angie Motshekga, who held the role for over 10 years.

The DA’s Leon Schreiber will also be sworn in as Minister of Home Affairs where he takes over from Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who will instead be getting sworn in as the new Minister of Health, a position he held between 2009 and 2019.

While the Freedom Front (FF) Plus is no stranger to government, having served as a deputy minister in the fifth term, party leader Pieter Groenewald will also be sworn in as the Minister of Correctional Services.