When President Cyril Ramaphosa announces his Cabinet sometime after his inauguration on Wednesday, it will signal the seriousness of shaping this much-talked-about national unity government - and who holds power where.

In 2019, fresh from an election that gave the ANC a substantial 57% majority and two years after a tight contest for ANC leadership, President Cyril Ramaphosa took four days to announce his Cabinet. This was an unusually long time, but was explained away by the need to consult with ANC alliance partners, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party.

Ramaphosa's presidential predecessors Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma had announced their cabinets, including changes to the portfolios, the day after their inaugurations.

Section 94 of the Constitution ends the terms of ministers and deputy ministers when the new president is sworn in. However, departments continue their work based on the annual performance and strategic plans already submitted to Parliament.

In 2024, Ramaphosa is two years into a decisively won ANC presidency, but at the helm of an ANC that plummeted to 40.2% at the polls - costing the party its governing majority.

Talks with other political parties like the DA, IFP, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Good over more than a week led to a national unity government statement of intent signed as MPs were sworn in on Friday, 14 June.

Ramaphosa was duly re-elected, while ANC MP Thoko Didiza...