Good party leader and former Cape Town mayor, Patricia de Lille, says she is “deeply honoured and humbled to have received the call to serve as a minister in South Africa’s new Cabinet” and that it is time South Africans demonstrate their ability to “rise above party political differences”.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his new Cabinet of 28 members on Wednesday night at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. While the president kept his promise of reducing the size of the Cabinet and government departments, by trimming the number of his ministers from 36 to 28, it was the plot twist of appointing De Lille – the leader of a brand new political party in the opposition – that stood out to many.

Ramaphosa announced that De Lille would be joining his Cabinet as the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.

The move comes exactly a week after the Good party leader was sworn in as a Member of Parliament along with her confidant, Shaun August. They took up the two seats the party gained in the May 8 general elections.

The appointment was immediately greeted with a variety of emotions from South Africans – particularly on social media.

In a statement released shortly after the announcement, De Lille said: “I have fought for justice in our country for more than 40 years and have no plans to give up fighting. I pledge to continue the struggle for dignity and fairness for all South Africans.”

She continued: “I will continue to lead Good and to fight for a responsible, accountable and compassionate government.”

“On President Ramaphosa’s election to the Presidency last week I pledged Good’s constructive support for turning South Africa around. This support we will wholeheartedly give, but I will be joining President Ramaphosa’s executive with open eyes and ears as a representative of good South Africans of integrity who love their country and demand better of their leaders.”

“It is time for South Africans to demonstrate that we can rise above party political differences,” De Lille said.