South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in for his second mandate on Wednesday, following a challenging election last month.

The inauguration ceremony featured a 21-gun salute, military fly-bys, and a parade of honor by servicemen.

Ramaphosa secured his position after receiving the majority of votes from members of parliament allied to the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), and other parties that backed his candidacy last week.

This election marked the first time the ANC failed to secure a majority after the May 29 election, with other parties like Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK), Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and the DA increasing their presence in parliament.

In a parliamentary vote, Ramaphosa won against a surprise candidate, Julius Malema of the EFF, receiving 283 votes to Malema’s 44 in the 400-member house.

South Africa faces significant challenges, including some of the world’s highest levels of unemployment, inequality, and violent crime.

The ANC, the party of Nelson Mandela, had ruled South Africa with a comfortable majority since the end of apartheid in 1994. However, it lost its 30-year majority in the humbling national election on May 29, a turning point for the country. The vote occurred amidst widespread discontent over high levels of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

Analysts warn of potential complications ahead due to the starkly different ideologies of the ANC, a former liberation movement, and the centrist, business-friendly DA, which won 21% of the vote in the national election, the second-largest share behind the ANC’s 40%.