Pretoria - While South Africans gather to celebrate President-elect Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration, the message is clear; jobs, a clean Cabinet and tackling the economy should be his priority as he begins his five-year term.
These were just some of the messages of advice from politicians from both the opposition political parties, the ANC and its alliance partners.
After the end of the celebration, Ramaphosa will have the task of appointing his Cabinet which some hope will help him in delivering on his mandate.
ANC Women's League President Bathabile Dlamini said she wants to see more women appointed as ministers. She said her league has been strongly lobbying for gender representation and will not be pleased with anything below 50%.
"What is worrying me right now is to see women being appointed 50%. As the ANC Women's League, we have tried to say that appointments are not about us. For us to go and motivate for ourselves that is not part of our agenda. We are trying to motivate for women that we know have the potential and they are good. We have also motivated that there must be young women. We want women who will ensure that they deliver to ordinary South Africans," Dlamini said.
ANC Women’s League President Bathabile Dlamini says she wants to 50% representation of women in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet. #Inaguration2019 @IOL pic.twitter.com/exuRZ2Tmzf
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) May 25, 2019
Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said his federation wants jobs and economic growth. He warned that Cosatu's endorsement of Ramaphosa is not based on a clean slate and that he will have to perform.
"We hope he will put the right people and we hope he will implement the right policy decisions. We know it will not be easy and he has to work with everybody and every idea is important. We want to see clean governance and creating decent jobs and realising the conditions of a better South Africa," said Ntshalintshali.
ANC MP Thoko Didiza shared similar sentiments.
"Given the challenges, we are facing we need to focus on unemployment and growing the economy and infrastructure," Didiza said.
The EFF's chairperson Dali Mpofu said Ramaphosa should expect robust calls for accountability from the opposition.
"As the EFF obviously this is a great moment we have to accept that the people have spoken. We congratulate the president but we also promise robust opposition, it is going to be a rough five years," Mpofu said.
The inauguration is expected to start at 11 am.