We will only consider a public holiday if Boks win the Rugby World Cup, jokes Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the second iteration of the South Africa Green Hydrogen Summit. Picture: Fikile Marakalla/GCIS

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the second iteration of the South Africa Green Hydrogen Summit. Picture: Fikile Marakalla/GCIS

Published Oct 16, 2023

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Cape Town - With many on social media pleading for the president to give South Africans a day off due to the stress-inducing Springboks’ game against France on Sunday evening, the head of state addressed them directly on Monday morning.

Sunday evening’s match saw the Springboks narrowly clinch victory as they came from behind to beat France 29-28, and booked a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

While the victory was obviously due to the team’s blood, sweat and tears, it did at least provide social media with comedic fodder.

South Africa trailed France 22-19 at half-time, and this left many biting their nails. The tension of the match led many to summon the spirit of Madiba to intervene and aid the Bokke to victory.

— 🌙 (@_Nwai) October 15, 2023
— — don (@dracosrevenge) October 15, 2023
— Jamie (@SydneyVonVino) October 15, 2023

Thankfully, it all turned out well in the end for South Africa, and many then made sure to thank Madiba for his magic in helping the boks win the game.

Once that was settled, calls quickly pivoted to having Monday being declared a public holiday.

— Lester Kiewit (@lesterkk) October 13, 2023
— FPL Tams (@tamlynsingh) October 15, 2023

The plea did not fall on deaf ears. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who happened to be delivering the keynote address for the South Africa Green Hydrogen Summit (SAGHS) used the moment to address the calls.

While he apologised for not being able to make it to the summit in-person at Century City in Cape Town, he joked that it was not due to the Springboks game.

“I am sorry that I am unable to be there in person, it isn’t as much to do with your summit competing with the Springboks victory last night. I am where I am, and I am sorry about that.

“I spent the better part of the morning trying to speak to (French) President Emmanuel Macron just to commiserate, but we have not been able to talk, and we talk often about the highs and the lows of both our countries. I’m sure that we will be able to talk later.

“But South Africans are revelling in this incredible success that our boys have achieved in Paris. Many of them felt that we should declare today as a public holiday, and I declined, and I said that we will only consider that when we win the final - at which I will personally be present.”

Prior to the game, the president spoke with the Bok coach Jacques Nienaber on the phone, where he said he looked forward to lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at the final.

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) October 15, 2023

Cape Argus