20/12/2021: President Cyril Ramaphosa and the high-level team led by Deputy President David Mabuza meeting with Military Veterans for a feedback session after a series of consultations on issues raised by military veterans to the government – Photo: Flickr/GCIS
20/12/2021: President Cyril Ramaphosa and the high-level team led by Deputy President David Mabuza meeting with Military Veterans for a feedback session after a series of consultations on issues raised by military veterans to the government – Photo: Flickr/GCIS
Conspiracy theorists aren’t exactly few and far between these days – and there’s plenty of them making noise about the timing of Cyril Ramaphosa’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The president has put his deputy David Mabuza in charge for ‘the next week’ – and that just so happens to be a crucial time for South Africa.
Who will host the next family meeting?
The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is meeting within the next 24-48 hours. Once these discussions are concluded, it’s understood that a ‘family meeting’ – the informal name given to a national address led by the president – will be arranged. These are usually held a day or two after the top-level talks are finished.
However, that timeline suggests a family meeting will take place while Cyril Ramaphosa is off work, meaning that David Mabuza would be required to address the nation. If our head of state isn’t well enough to lead a virtual family meeting, he’d have to hand over the reins for the first time in almost two years.
- According to the presidency, Mabuza is in charge until at least 19 December.
“Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving treatment for mild COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive for the viral infection today, Sunday, 12 December. The President, who is fully vaccinated, is in self-isolation in Cape Town and has delegated all responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week.”
Presidency statement
David Mabuza to host the next lockdown address? It’s got South Africans laughing and joking…
Alas, with Mzansi being Mzansi, our people had a right good laugh at the situation. Many chortled at the idea that not enough people will even know who David Mabuza is, given his restricted appearances throughout the pandemic. Our president-for-the-week was also in Russia recently, for a secretive health check-up.
All that, at the very least, makes good material for the punsters of Twitter…
is David Mabuza trained to do the address yaCyril, i want to know if there will be a speech in between?
— Azande (@thereal__arzee) December 13, 2021
???? for Mabuza to hold a family meeting, we need fresh memes ????????
— Thabillionaire The EP ???? (@FreshSta_016) December 13, 2021
David mabuza is coming for family meeting ????????????????
— luckas (@luckas4643) December 13, 2021
Mabuza is president? No lockdown till further notice????????
— gentleman????????♂️???????????????? (@Vukosi20367249) December 12, 2021
