Deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe was sworn in by President Jacob Zuma at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on Monday.
Motlanthe then received a hug from Zuma before taking his seat beside him.
He was congratulated by outgoing finance minister Trevor Manuel, who has been appointed as a Minister in the Presidency in Zuma’s administration.
Manuel will head up government’s new planning commission.
Zuma’s 34-strong Cabinet was sworn in next. Despite being a solemn affair, it was not without laughter and easy banter between the political bigwigs.
Guests laughed as Zuma jumped from his presidential chair to fix the microphone for the first minister to be sworn in, home affairs head, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
The swearing-in of the ministers was affirmed by Constitutional Court judges, Chief Justice Pius Langa, Justice Dikgang Moseneke and Justice Kate O’Regan.
After former health minister Barbara Hogan had been sworn in as Minister of Public Enterprise, she was hugged by Zuma and Motlanthe.
Hogan raised the ire of government earlier this year when she publicly criticised its decision to deny the Dalai Lama access to the country to attend a peace conference. She subsequently apologised to Cabinet.
Wearing a cream suit, Hogan then proceeded to hug and greet other ministers.
Zuma on Sunday announced his Cabinet, which included a heavy dose of new blood as well as some familiar faces.
Former education minister Naledi Pandor has been appointed the country’s new Science and Technology Minister, taking over from Azanian People’s Organisation leader Mosibudi Mangena.
”I am very honoured as usual to be deployed and appointed to a government position by our president. It’s a great privilege, I am still getting used to it,” Pandor, one of the early arrivals, told the South African Press Association.
Her deputy, Derek Hanekom, continues in his post from the previous term: ”There’s no doubt the minister will inject new blood and new thinking,” he said.
A former foreign affairs minister, Dlamini-Zuma acknowledged that she would be facing huge problems.
”Once I’m sworn in I’ll be facing huge challenges and I’ll be on a steep learning curve,” she said.
Asked about possible changes to the department under her leadership, she laughed and said: ”I haven’t even been sworn in yet.”
Former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who was completely excluded from Zuma’s Cabinet, attended the swearing-in. She greeted the wife of slain South African Communist Party secretary general Chris Hani, Limpho.
Another former Cabinet member also excluded from Zuma’s executive, Charles Nqakula, who led the safety and security ministry from 2002 to 2008, was also at the event.
Deputy Minister of Police and former African National Congress Youth League president Fikile Mbalula caused much laughter when he practically chased his way to the judges and then found that he had made his way to the wrong seat.
However, festivities appeared too much for Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk who nodded off to sleep a couple of times.
Zuma will convene the first Cabinet briefing at the Union Buildings at 11am on Tuesday.
The proceedings will be closed to the media. — Sapa