President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially been sworn in as the President of the Republic of South Africa on Wednesday at Union Buildings in Tshwane.
Thousands descended to the union buildings to witness President Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in for a second term.
The young and old have turned out in numbers to participate in the ceremony.
Those attending the ceremony at the South lawns enjoyed an array of music genres and other cultural and artistic performances.
Traditional leaders affiliated to Contralesa joined a chorus of those appealing to South Africans to give the government of national unity a chance.
They were among thousands who participated at the Presidential inauguration.
A number of South Africans who attended the Presidential inauguration are confident the government of national unity will bring the much-needed change in the country.
“The people have spoken, and their will shall be done without any doubt or question,” declared President Cyril Ramaphosa in his opening salvo of the speech he delivered on Wednesday soon after being inaugurated as the country’s president again.
He explained that jobs were of the utmost importance and that he was personally going to make sure that such opportunities were created, and no one was left behind.
He emphasised that many South Africans were merely demanding basic issues like electricity, water, quality education, jobs, health care, safety, land and good governance and food to eat.
“We accept and respect the results of the elections and acknowledge that the people of South Africa have not given any single party the mandate to govern our country alone but have directed us to work together to address their plight,” he said.
He pointed out that political bickering won’t be tolerated.
He admitted the fact that South Africans have, through the ballot box, expressed their appreciation of the progress made by government in their lives over the past 30 years of democracy.
But in the same vein, Ramaphosa admitted that South Africans have, through the ballot box, unequivocally expressed their disappointment and disapproval of the government’s performance in some areas where the government has failed them.
“As the leaders of this country came together in a government of national unity 30 years ago to forge a common future and build a united nation, the parties in the government of national unity of today have agreed to work together to address the most pressing challenges before our nation,” he said.
“The parties have adopted a Statement of Intent, in which they have committed to pursue rapid, inclusive growth; to create a more just society by tackling poverty; to safeguard the rights of workers; to stabilise government to build state capacity; to invest in South Africa’s people through quality education and health care; to address crime and corruption; to strengthen social cohesion and build a united nation and to pursue a foreign policy based on human rights, solidarity and peace”.
“Today I stand before you as your humble servant to say, we have heard you,” said Ramaphosa.
The following attachment is a speech by President Cyril Ramaphosa.