The third cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa, also known as the Government of National Unity (GNU), is the incumbent cabinet of the Government of South Africa. It was appointed on 30 June 2024 after the May 2024 general election resulted in a hung parliament. Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC), having lost its absolute majority, formed a ten-member coalition government.
The coalition was formed on 14 June 2024, when the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, and Patriotic Alliance joined the ANC in supporting Ramaphosa's election to a second full term as President of South Africa. All four original members of the coalition are represented in the cabinet, as are three later entrants, the Good Party, Pan Africanist Congress, and Freedom Front Plus. The United Democratic Movement and Al Jama-ah are represented by deputy ministers, and Rise Mzansi participates in the legislative coalition but is not represented in the national executive.
The government operates with a comfortable majority in the National Assembly. It is the first coalition government in South Africa since the constitutionally mandated post-apartheid Government of National Unity, and it marks the first time that the ANC has had to govern without an absolute majority.
A South African general election was held on 29 May 2024 to elect the 28th Parliament of South Africa. Support for the incumbent governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), significantly declined in the election; the ANC remained the largest party but lost its majority in the National Assembly for the first time since the inaugural post-apartheid election in 1994. The centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) remained in second place with a slight increase. uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), a left-wing populist party founded six months prior to the election and led by former president Jacob Zuma, came in third place.
On 14 June 2024, the ANC, DA, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and Patriotic Alliance (PA) agreed to form a coalition government, which they labelled a "Government of National Unity" (GNU). They re-elected the ANC's Cyril Ramaphosa as President of South Africa. Ramaphosa was inaugurated for a second term on 19 June.
Meanwhile, the coalition ballooned to include a total of ten political parties. Good joined shortly after the first sitting of Parliament, followed by the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) on 19 June and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) on 20 June. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) announced its entrance on 21 June, Rise Mzansi (RISE) on 22 June, and Al Jama-ah on 23 June. United Africans Transformation (UAT) was briefly an eleventh member, joining on 24 June but leaving after it was excluded from the cabinet on 30 June.
On 29 May 2025, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced that South Africa is commemorating one year since the National and Provincial Elections in 2024, and therefore, one year of the Government of National Unity. The Minister stated that she was proud that South African politicians were able to form the current government in just 14 days, given the amount of time it takes some so-called developed countries to form governments.
Ntshavheni further stated that the milestone represents a renewed commitment to stability, collaboration, and inclusive governance. The Minister said that the historic GNU partnership, which includes 10 political parties from across the ideological spectrum in South Africa, showcases the importance of prioritizing the needs of the country and its people, by putting potential points of contention second, and placing the nation first.
President Ramaphosa announced his third cabinet on 30 June 2024. The Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, was sworn in on 3 July alongside the new ministers and deputy ministers.
On 3 December 2024, President Ramaphosa announced his first reshuffle of the cabinet, affecting four ministries: ministers Mmamoloko Kubayi and Thembi Simelane swapped portfolios and deputy ministers Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala and Phumzile Mgcina likewise swapped portfolios.
Ramaphosa dismissed Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition on 25 June 2025 after the latter undertook an international visit without receiving the necessary permission from the president.
On 21 July 2025, Ramaphosa removed Dr Nobuhle Nkabane as Minister of Higher Education and Training and replaced her with the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela, who was in turn succeeded by Nomusa Dube-Ncube as Deputy Minister.
On 12 November 2025, Ramaphosa announced another reshuffle of his executive, this time to remove Dion George as the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and replace him with Willie Aucamp. Alexandra Abrahams was also appointed to fill the position of Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, which was left vacant after Ramaphosa fired Andrew Whitfield in June.