Photo: Mamphela Ramphele announced she was starting a “party political platform” with a handful of other South Africans on Monday at the old Women’s Gaol at Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg. The announcement followed weeks of speculation and attracted a large contingent of media.

Photo: Ramphele looked relaxed as she was introduced with ululations from her team.

Photo: Moeletsi Mbeki, rumoured to be a key force behind Ramphele’s party launch, sits centre, to the right of political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi. The crowd was full of representatives from civil society and media, but no other political notables were represented.

Photo: Burly bodyguards, some in suits, others undercover, were present at Ramphele’s launch, leading media to ask whether she perceived a threat.

Photo: Ramphele read a stirring speech to launch Agang, but journalists complained that the launch lacked substance on policy issues and failed to offer detail on the planned structures. Agang will, however, contest the 2014 elections.

Photo: Despite the security presence, Ramphele mixed with the crowd and sipped tea after speaking to media.

Photo: The desk where she gave the first press conference of Agang’s existence was left with a glass smeared with Ramphele’s lipstick and a notepad with the words “Gold Fields”, regarding a note from a question from the crowd.

Photo: Ramphele finished the Constitutional Hill briefing with one-on-one interviews with media, which were bound to be the first of many. DM

All photos by Greg Nicolson/Daily Maverick.