The Inauguration of President-Elect Cyril Ramaphosa will take place at the Union Buildings, Pretoria, today following his re-election by Parliament last week Friday.
The swearing-in of the President-Elect will be conducted by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in the Union Buildings’ Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre.
The ceremony will be witnessed by South African and international guests, including South African royalty, Members of Parliament, representatives of political parties, leaders of organised labour, business and civil society organisations, religious leaders and South Africans who have excelled in various capacities and endeavours.
Attendees will include representatives of regional, continental and international organisations and bodies such as the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and the United Nations.
President-Elect Ramaphosa will also be honoured by the attendance of a number of Heads of State and Government and former Heads of State and Government from different regions of Africa as well as other world regions.
To date, 18 Heads of State and Government, three former Heads of State and Government and nine Heads of Delegation are expected to attend.
Countries that will be represented at a high level at the Inauguration include the Kingdom of eSwatini, Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republics of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola and Tanzania, the Republic of Uganda, the People’s Republic of China, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Palestine and the Republic of Cuba.
The theme for the occasion is “30 Years of Democracy, Partnership and Growth”.
The programme for the day will commence in the morning with a cultural programme for members of the public on the South Lawns of the Union Buildings.
The cultural programme is a platform for local artists to showcase their talent and for us as a nation to share South Africa’s cultural diversity with our guests.
During the formal proceedings, the South African National Defence Force will perform the ceremonial elements of the Inauguration as a demonstration of allegiance to the Republic and the Commander-In-Chief.
The ceremonial elements will include, a 21-gun salute, a salute flight by the South African Air Force, inspection of a South African National Defence Force battalion, a Battalion march past, and a massed fly past.
The newly sworn-in President of the Republic will then deliver his Inaugural Address.
