South Africa's Ramaphosa re-elected as president

JOHANNESBURG - Mr Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as South Africa's president on June 14, having brokered a deal with the opposition for a government of national unity after his African National Congress (ANC) party's worst election result since the end of apartheid.

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A skilful negotiator, Mr Ramaphosa clinched the agreement with the white-led Democratic Alliance (DA) and at least two other smaller parties as the National Assembly held its first sitting since the election and prepared to elect a head of state.

But Mr Ramaphosa, 71, has emerged weakened from the May 29 election as the ANC lost its parliamentary majority, and some political analysts have questioned whether he will be able to serve a full second five-year term.

The ANC won just 40 per cent of the vote, meaning Mr Nelson Mandela's legacy liberation movement had to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with rival parties for the first time in 30 years.

Besides the DA, the ANC's partners in the coalition government include the socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the right-wing Patriotic Alliance (PA).

Many questions remain about how they will divide key jobs and reconcile opposing policy positions.