Is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ‘a Kenyan’?
South Africans have blamed President Cyril Ramaphosa for the escalated violence that has so far claimed 72 lives, even as looting in major cities continued for the fifth day running on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.
And amid the chaos, a video has emerged of a woman not only telling the President off, but also blaming him for the rise in the cost of living, and warning him to re-settle in Kenya.
The un dated short clip shows the woman, who is yet to be identified, being interviewed by a news crew.
The visibly unhappy woman displays a pack of tissues and an orange while claiming these to be among the many products whose prices have increased. She further claims families in the country are no longer safe.
“Is this how we are going to live? Really Ramaphosa, are you okay? I am not scared now. It is either you kill me or not. This is not a life we need to live in South Africa. It is either you go to Kenya or you leave us alone,” she said.
The context under which the woman urges Ramaphosa to relocate to Kenya is not known even though reports from the country suggest the Head of State has roots in the East African country, which is known to have ‘produced’ former US President Barack Obama.
This can't be real ???? pic.twitter.com/k8ErlpUcY9
— K U L A N I (@kulanicool) July 13, 2021
The statement has, understandably, elicited mixed reactions.
This must be investigated. So CR is originally from Kenya….phela they ain't no smoke without fire pic.twitter.com/28wbxQpHPZ
— Mario ? (@ItsMario_JHB) July 13, 2021
I have always had that suspicion about him. Now that I think of it, he does have that Kenyan look. And he walks 10 km everyday, it reminds him of the times when he used to run long distance. pic.twitter.com/jOgssShMqN
— Ntsakzin (@Ntsakzin) July 13, 2021
leave Kenya out of your problems wena
— Mteoja Halakwi (@MteojaH) July 13, 2021
He doesn't have the stature of a Kalenjin, May be Western Kenya, does your president love chicken? pic.twitter.com/CP5DNsFKek
— Kamatimû ?? (@Kiarago_Migwi) July 13, 2021
The raging unrest in one of Africa’s richest economies first erupted last week when former president Jacob Zuma started serving a 15-month term for contempt, having snubbed a probe into the corruption that stained his nine years in power.
“The total number of people who have lost their lives since the beginning of these protests … has risen to 72,” the police said in a statement late Tuesday.
Most of the deaths “relate to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops”, it said.
Others were linked to shootings and explosions of bank ATMs.
The number of arrests has risen to 1,234, although many thousands have been involved in the ransacking sprees.