South African parties cobble together unity government before electing president

South African politicians are expected to elect the country’s president on Friday, after being sworn in at the first sitting of Parliament which will also reveal the kind of unity government the ruling ANC has managed to cobble together after losing its majority for the first time since 1994 (Jerome Delay/AP)

South African politicians are expected to elect the country’s president on Friday after being sworn in at the first sitting of Parliament which will also reveal the kind of unity government the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has managed to cobble together after losing its majority for the first time since 1994.

The politicians are also expected to elect Parliament’s new speaker and deputy speaker, choices which will be determined by negotiations that have taken place between the ANC and opposition parties since the country’s election results were declared nearly two weeks ago.