South Africa parliament opening: Cyril Ramaphosa outlines his plans

The priorities he has announced fuse mostly ANC policies with some concessions made to accommodate the concerns of the DA, South Africa’s second-largest party and the ANC’s long-time rival.

The pro-free market DA is ideologically at odds with the ANC’s social welfare traditions, and seen by many as catering to the interests of the white minority, which it denies.

In his address, Mr Ramaphosa firmly stated economic growth must “support the empowerment of black South Africans and women and those who in the past had been relegated to the fringes of the economy”.

The government, which is backed by 70% of the MPs, promises to make “massive” investments in infrastructure and turn the whole country “into a construction site”.

The second area of focus will be to expand the basket of essential food items exempt from the VAT sales tax, in order to address the high cost of living.

This is an initiative that the DA had been lobbying for in an effort to eliminate poverty, TK Pooe, a senior researcher at the Wits School of Governance, told the BBC.

Another part-concession, the ANC’s plan to launch compulsory universal healthcare for all, will now proceed subject to consultation with stakeholders. The DA and private medical insurance groups had threatened legal action, arguing that the scheme violates the right to choose a service provider.

“Court will be the last resort,” DA leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen told journalists outside parliament.

“We are in government now and have a forum in which we can negotiate.” He welcomed Mr Ramaphosa’s speech.

New sports minister Gayton McKenzie was also pleased, saying the address was Mr Ramaphosa’s “best” ever.

However, John Trollip from Action SA, a political party that is not part of the new government, said the president’s address was thin on credibility and sounded like lots of previous speeches.

The EFF’s Mr Malema told national broadcaster SABC that “it’s very clear that the president has got no plan to transform South Africa for the better”.