South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is reelected for a second term after a late coalition deal WFTV [Video]

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was reelected by lawmakers on Friday after his African National Congress party struck a dramatic late coalition deal with the main opposition party and others to allow him to clinch a second term in office.

Ramaphosa won convincingly in a Parliament vote against a surprise candidate who was also nominated Julius Malema, the leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters. Ramaphosa got 283 votes to Malema’s 44 in the 400-member house.

The 71-year-old Ramaphosa secured his second term with the help of lawmakers from the second biggest Democratic Alliance party and others after the ANC lost its 30-year parliamentary majority in a landmark election two weeks ago. The ANC signed an agreement with the DA — once its fiercest political foe — just hours before the vote for president, ensuring Ramaphosa returned as leader of Africa’s most industrialized …