Ramaphosa shares light moment midst ANC crisis

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has painted a vivid picture of the political ordeal his African National Congress (ANC) faces, by using dark humour as he reflected on the election results speech delivered by Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperson Mosotho Moepya.

In his address on Sunday evening, Moepya erroneously referred to the just-ended poll as the 2019 election, to which Ramaphosa jokingly said: “How I wish the mistake you made in saying the 2019 election result was true.”

Ramaphosa was referring to a time his party romped to victory with 57,5% of the votes, but which have now fallen to 40%.

At some point during his address, the IEC chairperson faltered in addressing the attendees.

To this Ramaphosa jokingly said: “Ndate Moepya, instead of saying ‘distinguished’ you said ‘extinguished’. I am not yet extinguished.”

Ramaphosa’s dark humour left the audience in stitches even as the Jacob Zuma-led MK party is calling for his ejection from the presidency as a precondition for a working coalition with the ruling party.

Some South African analysts have in the meantime predicted that after leading the ANC through its worst electoral result since 1994, the party’s 2027 congress may opt to relieve Ramaphosa of his duties.

Ramaphosa also joked: “But the one that I truly, truly love and I never thought I would hear the IEC talking about [is] love. You also mentioned love. Many of us truly want love tonight.”

With the official poll results announced the clock has begun the race towards a critical coalition that will rule South Africa in the next five years, putting the nation on an unprecedented path.