South Africa has emerged with a larger and more politically diverse administration after four weeks of tense inter-party negotiations over the formation of a government.
Its make-up is the outcome of political compromises reflecting both internal divisions among the African National Congress (ANC), which ruled the country alone for 30 years, and the grand coalition of parties that now make up the executive.
The ANC has retained control over key economic ministries – with Enoch Godongwana remaining as finance minister, to the relief of investors unsettled by the efforts of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to secure the job.
And the broadly centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken a haul of ministries through which it can demonstrate some influence, despite falling short of its objective of a representative government with portfolios allocated on the basis of the electoral result.
The appointment of Ronald Lamola (ANC) as minister of international relations and cooperation was unforeseen but should be highly welcomed. His appointment, coupled with the constraints brought by coalition government, will likely see a foreign policy more focused on the national economic interest.
National support for Palestinians will continue – exemplified by South Africa’s case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). But the DA will be keen to moderate the pro-Russian stance of some ANC leaders and ensure a policy more rooted in the national economic interest.
The new foreign minister will likely return to a mode of engagement that prioritizes exerting influence through multilateral forums, rather than taking a leading role himself.
Lamola shares few personal attributes with his predecessor, Dr Naledi Pandor, but his appointment has been well received and may usher in a lower profile and more pragmatic era. He trained as a lawyer and his rise in politics began as a 13-year old in the ANC youth league.
He has been a consistent supporter of President Cyril Ramaphosa. At the 2022 ANC party conference, he ran as a rank outsider unsuccessfully for the position of deputy president.
He ignored efforts to encourage him to step aside for the sake of party unity, saying the party needed a younger generation pushing for top positions.
That he was not politically punished for this symbolizes the respect in which he is held by the party’s highest echelons and his appointment as foreign minister at the age of 40 shows he is a rising star.
From 2019 until to his new appointment, Lamola served as minister of justice, professionally running the department and supporting the judicial system – one of the most trusted institutions in the country – during a period where a high-profile target of litigation was his own party.
His leadership of the department was often cited as an area of progress under President Ramaphosa’s first term. His name would regularly appear among those discussed as exciting emerging talent and with future leadership potential.
Lamola’s political background is domestic, and he is little known overseas outside of South Africa watchers. But his term in the justice ministry put him at the centre of South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ.
Politically this associates him with one area of foreign policy that many South Africans are proud of. Pragmatically, he has an existing relationship with the ministry’s top officials. And the continuation of the respected Alvin Botes as deputy minister implies some consistency and experience within the departmental leadership.
Lamola’s ministerial record for competent delivery and departmental leadership will be important for his new role. Following Pandor’s individualistic style, there is a need to reconnect various elements of the department – and other ministries with international portfolios – and to leverage its skills and competencies, which include the economic diplomacy training programme.
Lamola now has one year at the helm of ministry before South Africa hosts the G20 in 2025.
