Rafieka Williams
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Gayton McKenzie

As the voting for speaker is still going on, one of those who'll be taking part is Cleo Wilskut, who at the age of 20 is this parliament's youngest MP.

Earlier Wilskut, a Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP, walked alongside her party leader Gayton McKenzie, as she took the oath with eight other legislators. Jasmine Petersen - another of the party's MPs - is 22.

Once the election of speaker and deputy speaker is completed they will participate in the election of the country's next president.

That's set to be Cyril Ramaphosa after a deal for a Government of National Unity was agreed, which the PA is also backing.

The wounded behemoth of South African politics, the ANC, has so far remained tight-lipped since news of the coalition deal broke. DA leader John Steenhuisen has made all the running.

But the ANC has now announced a press conference for later on Friday, after the president is elected and the parliamentary proceedings are over.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri National issued the note a short while ago, inviting reporters to join them on the National Assembly's roof terrace "after the meeting has adjourned to set up".

"President Ramaphosa will decide where he will place me," says the Patriotic Alliance's Gayton McKenzie, sounding sanguine about the coming government of national unity. He is backing the coalition after his party got nine out of the 400 seats in the National Assembly.

"The government of national unity was mandated by the voters - they told us through their votes that they want us to work together," he adds.

"The whole deal is underpinned by taking South Africa to greater heights.

"It requires us as parties to not be obsessed with positions. For example if Ramaphosa does not make me home affairs minister... I can’t now say that I won’t be part of the government of national unity."

Farouk Chothia
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa has seen a seismic political shift, following the decision of the ANC and DA to form a coalition government.

Many ANC supporters see the DA as a racist party trying to make sure that white people hang on to the economic privileges they built up during the discriminatory system of apartheid.

Now, the ANC has decided to enter into a coalition government with it - and has included the mainly black Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), partly to make the deal more palatable to its constituency.

The coalition is being called a Government of National Unity (GNU), suggesting that it symbolises reconciliation in a nation still scarred by the racist system of apartheid.

South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela formed a GNU after apartheid ended in 1994. He had no choice - it was part of the power-sharing agreement that the ANC negotiated with the now-defunct National Party (NP), led by South Africa's last white ruler, FW de Klerk, and other parties.

It compelled Mandela to appoint De Klerk as one of his deputies, and to appoint NP members to ministerial posts.

But De Klerk led his party into walking out of the GNU about two years later after accusing Mandela and the ANC of pushing through decisions without consulting him.

The IFP - which was also part of that government - remained in it, building a solid relationship with the ANC after years of hostility and violence between its supporters.

After the NP quit the GNU, Mandela invited the DA - then known as the Democratic Party (DP) - to join the government to keep alive his efforts at promoting racial reconciliation between the black majority and white minority.

The party refused, fearing it will be co-opted by the ANC and preferring to sit on the opposition benches to hold the ANC accountable.

Almost 30 years later, the DA has finally joined the government, partly because it feared that if it stays in opposition, the ANC will enter into what it called a "doomsday coalition" with radical parties that advocate the nationalisation of white-owned land, mines and banks.

The new MPs have had a break for lunch and are now being asked to vote in a secret ballot for the speaker.

There are two candidates - one from the ANC and one from the EFF - and polling booths have been set up in the National Assembly chamber.

The MPs are being called up in alphabetical order and will fill out the ballot paper.

DA leader John Steenhuisen attracted a big huddle of journalists as he came into the parliamentary precinct after finishing his speech.

He told reporters that no deal on cabinet positions had been agreed and those will begin soon.

"We recognise there is a need for democratic inclusivity and the president will bear this in mind when he appoints his cabinet," Steenhuisen said.

"We will be supporting President Ramaphosa’s election today," he confirmed.

"In turn, the ANC will support our candidate for deputy speaker."

Just a reminder that we got to this point following the ANC's dismal performance in the 29 May general election, where it got 40% of the vote - the first time the party had not won an absolute majority.

This then forced it into coalition talks.

The ANC has aimed to form what it called a government of national unity. In that light it has brought in the former main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, and the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party.

But two large parties remain outside the deal - uMkhonto weSizwe of ex-President Jacob Zuma and the Economic Freedom Fighters, which came third and fourth respectively.

In a "statement of intent", here are some of the issues the new government said it will focus on:

• Economic growth
• Job creation
• Improving access to and the quality of basic services
• Tackling the high cost of living
• Providing affordable, quality healthcare
• Creating a corruption-free public service
• Strengthening law enforcement to address issues like crime and gender-based violence
• Providing a social safety net

Steenhuisen wraps up his speech by saying South Africa "is now ready to write a new chapter that defies the odds once again".

"From the spring of our great diversity, flows a river of humanity that can quench the thirst that we all share for freedom, for prosperity and for a country we can all be proud of," the opposition leader says.

Although Steenhuisen has noted how significant the deal is, he also says South Africa's problems, such as crime and economic issues, will not be "solved overnight" and that the "road ahead will be difficult".

"The people have also told us that a time for a new politics of collaboration and problem solving has arrived," Steenhusien says.

"From today the DA will co-govern the republic of South Africa in a spirit of unity and collaboration… we do so both for the millions who voted for us and all South Africans who yearn for a better government," he adds.

Steenhusien confirms that his party will back Cyril Ramaphosa to become the next president of South Africa.

Steenhuisen says it's "difficult to overstate just how significant" forming this deal is for the Democratic Alliance.

He says the agreement was reached after "intense but very mature negotiations" and that it reflects many parts of the DA's manifesto.

He also says the deal is "realistic about the need for mechanisms that will inevitably arise in a multi-party government".

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen confirms that a deal has been reached.

He calls it a "new chapter in our history".

John Steenhuisen, the leader of the second-largest party, the Democratic Alliance, is due to make an address following reports that a deal has been done.

We'll bring you updates here.

According to South African outlet News24, external, the new coalition government will include the African National Congress, the Democratic Alliance - South Africa's second-largest party - and the socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party.

"The agreement includes clauses that will guide the composition of Cabinet, as well as that of the provincial governments in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal," News24 says.

"It details the executive decision-making process, a conflict-breaking mechanism, and provides guidelines for policymaking and the finalisation of the national budget."

Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Cape Town

Whatever shape the new government takes, it will not be a national unity alliance like the one negotiated by Nelson Mandela in 1994.

At that time the ANC reached across the divide from a position of strength. Now it is doing so from a position of political necessity – having lost its outright majority.

It seems the composition will be similar. Thirty years ago the ANC joined forces with the National Party that ruled during the racist system of apartheid, and the Zulu nationalist Inkhata Freedom Party (IFP).

The IFP has already confirmed it’s on board again.

The white-led Democratic Alliance, which absorbed some members of the National Party, is reportedly also now on board.

But ANC breakaway factions on the left have made it clear they will not join.

“This is not a government of national unity,” says TK Pooe from the Wits School of Governance.

“It’s just a bit of camouflaging so that people don’t have to own that it’s a grand coalition between three parties.”

The prospect of an alliance with the DA, a historic opponent of the ANC, has triggered a backlash within the ruling party.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency DA negotiator Helen Zille has said a deal has been signed to form a coalition government.

Several South African media are also reporting that a deal has been done.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC News, Cape Town

The newly sworn in MPs have nominated two candidates for speaker:

• Thokozile Didiza - ANC
• Ntombovuyo Veronica Mente - EFF

As there are two candidates, the MPs will now vote using a secret ballot.

Whereas Didiza was nominated by two members of her own party, Mente had the backing of MPs from two other smaller parties - the African Transformation Movement and the United Democratic Movement.

They form part of what they have called the “progressive caucus”, which is against the formation of the government of national unity.

Image source, DA/YouTube

In around 45 minutes, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen is set give a speech on the outcome of negotiations with the ANC.

It is currently unclear whether the DA and ANC have made a deal, but in a caption for the YouTube live stream of the speech, external, the DA says: "the agreement will lead South Africa on a path of fundamental reform that reflects many of the key pledges contained in the manifesto of the DA and other parties".

The address is due take place at 13:15 local time (12:15 BST).