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South Africa'sOfficial Opposition Shadow Cabinet (Tswana:kabinetemaitlhomo;Sotho:sekabinete;Northern Sotho:kabinete ya lekgotlakganetšo;Afrikaans:skadukabinet;Zulu:izingqapheli zesigungu sesishayamthetho;Southern Ndebele:ikhabinethi elingisako;Xhosa:ikhabhinethi yeqela eliphikisayo;Swazi:ikhabhinethi lelindzele;Tsonga:khabinete yo xopela;Venda:khabinethe yo dzumbamaho) consists of Members of theNational Assembly who scrutinise their corresponding office holders in the executive branch of government and develop alternative policies for their respective portfolios. TheDemocratic Alliance (DA) retained their position as official opposition in the2019 general election andMmusi Maimane announced his shadow cabinet on 5 June 2019.[1]
Mmusi Maimane resigned as Leader of the Opposition in October 2019.John Steenhuisen was elected as his successor and leads the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet.[2] Appointed alongside Steenhuisen wasNatasha Mazzone, as Chief Whip,[3] andAnnelie Lotriet as Chairperson of the Caucus.[4] Steenhuisen announced his shadow cabinet on 5 December 2020.[5]
Following the nationalelection in May 2024, the ANC lost its outright majority for the first time in South Africa’s democratic history. The Democratic Alliance (DA) entered the government, the ANC-led coalition of national unity (Third Cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa), for the first time. The newUMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, the third biggest political party in the parliament after the ANC and the DA, became the official opposition.[6]