He fended off a challenge by EFF leader, Julius Malema by 283 votes to 44 with the help of his partners in the newly formed Government of National Unity, that includes the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, National Freedom Party, the Patriotic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus.

The President-elect will be inaugurated during a ceremony in Pretoria which, according to the Constitution, should take place within five days after the President’s election, Parliament said in a statement.

Once the President has taken the oath of office, he will proceed to form a cabinet, selecting ministers who will head various government departments and execute the administration's policies.

The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters said the ANC and DA joining forces was a marriage that seeks to undermine the changing of property relations in South Africa.

“We refuse to sell out. We have never done so when we're young, and we're not going to do so today. We don't have a history of being collaborators.