Political analysts say with the new Government of National Unity (GNU) , Parliament of South Africa can expect more robust debates and that President Cyril Ramaphosas executive should prepare itself for heightened accountability and stronger oversight.
With opposition parties now featuring in government, their role of holding the ruling party to account has been questioned. But analysts say Parliaments oversight role of the executive, will be kicked into a higher gear.
Even though the bulk of ministers are still ANC members, with the party having only 40 % of the vote, the make-up of Parliamentary committees will change.
"In the past, ANC could with its majority literally force policy through the legislature. In other words, the legislature was almost no impediment to interest of executive, but this will certainly be different now. Just the debate will be more competitive, there will also be a greater contest of ideas," says Dr Piet Croucamp of North West University.
"The tradition in our country is that the ANC has not only had cabinet, it also had Parliament. It's also had the benefit of being the only party to have chairs across Parliament and thats actually weakened accountability a lot. So having a multiparty government would then translate it would seem into having multi-party chairs, across Parliament as well. That may seem like it may weaken Parliamentary power, I dont think it weakens Parliamentary power and I dont think it weakens accountability in cabinet. I think it strengthens accountability in cabinet and Parliament," says Tessa Dooms, Director of Programmes at the Rivonia Circle.
