Nicholas Bauer / eNCA / Twitter
Nicholas Bauer / eNCA / Twitter
Cyril Ramaphosa’s active private life has been a curious source of interest since he assumed the Presidency last week. His attitude to healthy living is something we’ve never really seen from our leaders before.
As reported by eNCA, Ramaphosa lead the #CyrilSprint in Cape Town on Tuesday morning. He started a six-kilometre walk from Gugulethu and ended his public exercise routine in Athlone. He was accompanied by scores of local residents and national media.
It really is a source of fascination. There are plenty of us who moan about not being able to find the time to work out. Here, we have the actual President clocking brisk 6km walks. There are no excuses left.
In fact, this was Ramaphosa taking it steady. He told assorted members of the press he usually walks 10km, and has even done a 16km trek before. But why does he do it? Well, it’s not just because he wants to stay in shape…
Cyril Ramaphosa on why he loves walking:
1) Location, location, location
Cyril stated that the pursuit’s simple pleasures – of “breathing in the fresh air, and looking at the beauty of South Africa” – are large motivating factors for his walks.
2) It helps start the day off positively
The President seems to be in touch with his spiritual side, here. He told eNCA that he finds the exercise “invigorating” and that the time he spends outdoors helps him collect positive thoughts in his head: Something he desperately needs in this job.
3) Walking helps to gather your thoughts
We told you he’s a bit spiritual. Ramaphosa stated that he uses his time on-foot to assess what has happened the day before, and what is set to happen on the following day. He referred to it as a form of “meditation”.
4) You can keep fit without spending a cent
Cyril made it clear that walking is accessible to any able-bodied person. He even joked about how you don’t need any fancy gear to for a walk either, by referencing his now-infamous #CyrilSocks incident.
It would also seem Ramaphosa is practising what he preaches. He claims he wants South Africans to live a healthy lifestyle, and here he is, leading the way.
“It does come down to fitness, and healthy lifestyle. It’s the cheapest way to do it. Doesn’t matter if you have nice shoes or not – it doesn’t even matter if you wear socks or not! It’s wonderful to get out, just start off slowly. In no time, you won’t even feel the difference. I want to encourage all South Africans to lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Cyril Ramaphosa frequents Cape Town’s streets on a regular basis. Locals have never had such a good chance of popping out to the shop and being overtaken by the President. Whether it’s a PR tactic or a dedicated exercise routine, it’s certainly endearing him to the public.
