South African president says new coalition government is united in tackling unemployment and poverty

Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has opened a new parliamentary term. It comes nearly two months after an historic election result reshaped the country’s politics and led to the formation of an unprecedented multiparty government coalition. Ramaphosa’s speech to lawmakers in Cape Town on Thursday marked the official start of business for the new coalition. The coalition brings at least 10 parties together to govern Africa’s most industrialized country. Ramaphosa said that the coalition was united in tackling South Africa’s three biggest problems. They are an unemployment crisis, crippling poverty and inequality and the failure of state institutions because of corruption and neglect.