South Africa: Lawmakers take oath of office ahead of election of President, VP

South African lawmakers were beginning to be sworn in on Friday (Jun. 14) in Cape Town.

The chief justice Raymond Zondo oversaw the first part of the parliamentary session, during which lawmakers took the oath of office.

In the second part of the session, parliamentrians elect the president and vice president.

Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking a second term as leader of Africa's most industrialized economy, but his African National Congress party has been weakened after losing its long-held majority in an election last month.

Eighteen political parties are represented in the South African Parliament for this five-year term, from the ANC, with 159 seats, to the PAC, the GOOD party and the UAT party, with one seat each.

MK Party which ended third in the May 29th poll has decided not to attend the inaugural session of Parliament alleging there was election rigging by the Independent Electoral Commission.

This session will reveal the unity government the (ANC) has formed.

Late Thursday (Jun. 13), the party said it had a coalition agreement in principle with the DA party and smaller groups.