Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s light-hearted remarks lamenting his “missing” iPad missed the mark and caused quite the discussion on Twitter.
Ramaphosa was idly waiting for his laptop before his press conference on Tuesday, and ended up unintentionally giving a speech on the “missing” iPad.
The president was about to hold a press conference after he had visited the Port of Cape Town, where he announced the decision for the establishment of the National Ports Authority as an independent subsidiary of Transnet.
“I had my iPad... Do you know where they took my iPad to? This is the problem of always handing out your gadgets to other people.
“It’s always best that I should keep all these things with me, all the time. I had my iPad, I had it in my hand. It’s gone. I’ve lost it, it seems.”
A staff member then comes up to the president to explain the situation, to which he responds, “Should I sit down?”
#Busta929 we are looking for iPad #Mpho hango ivhona iPad ya Daddy pic.twitter.com/X794TayBFJ
— Humbulani F Makhari (@freddye27) June 23, 2021
The moment, which was caught on camera, went viral, with many on social media weighing in. Some used the opportunity to make light while others took a more critical approach.
What’s this now? Is it a speech about a lost iPad? Some people never cease to clown and amaze! pic.twitter.com/Pc8lOXzT1J
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) June 22, 2021
It’s the “...hmmmm...?” for me.
— Refilwe Moloto (@RefilWest) June 22, 2021
💀👀😬🙈
Also, how is a whole national President of a middle income (for now) country walking around with ONLY one copy of a speech...?!
And ONLY on his personal device? https://t.co/BTSZyIOwBy
Wait — then he went on to read the teleprompter...?! 🤷🏾♀️
— Refilwe Moloto (@RefilWest) June 22, 2021
What was the iPad tantrum about, ke? pic.twitter.com/qSyztVKD0u
Leaked from Ramaphosa's IPad 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/9N2iTHWyHz
— K U L A N I (@kulanicool) June 22, 2021
Allegedly R500 billion has been set aside to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa missing Ipad 🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️ pic.twitter.com/LprzfU6r7A
— #BlackExcellence™🌍 (@Sakhi_Afrika) June 23, 2021
Because South Africans don't waste time😂😂😂😂😂#ipad pic.twitter.com/MHEHZLCK9m
— Nelisiwe Msomi (@NeliMsomi) June 22, 2021
This is Ipad Mathebula. The first president to abandon his speech after losing his iPad on live TV. pic.twitter.com/vb2NCU4szQ
— 🏌🏿♂️Paballo🏌🏿♀️ (@_pabi_S) June 23, 2021
My love life is Ramaphosa's lost iPad
— nana 🦋 (@LauraBonginkosi) June 22, 2021
#Ramaphosa iHad my iPad and now it's gone. 🤣⚠️#nochill in #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/erYkL2JLyU
— Justin Colbert (@zuess_1) June 22, 2021
Ramaphosa showed us that government can't work without an iPad😆.
— Mhlawakhe Vatsha (@MhlaaaMhlawakhe) June 22, 2021
Somewhere in South Africa an amapianoa artist is cooking "I lost my iPad "song after that ramaphosa drama pic.twitter.com/nItiPUPMDS
— SON OF A SOLDIER🗯️ (@khani_hlahla) June 22, 2021
The presidency later came out and clarified that the president was in jest, and that all was fine with the iPad.
“Thank you, South Africa. There was no question of the iPad being missing or stolen. The president was making a light-hearted point while waiting for the iPad to be brought to him – which it was before he began his remarks to media.”
Thank you, South Africa. There was no question of the iPad being missing or stolen. The President was making a light-hearted point while waiting for the iPad to be brought to him - which it was before he began his remarks to media.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 22, 2021
Today, the president is in Maputo, Mozambique, t participate in the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The summit will consider the proposed “SADC Regional Response and Support to the Republic of Mozambique” to address terrorism and acts of violent extremism in the Cabo Delgado province.
This summit is a follow up of the Extraordinary SADC Double Troika Summit that took place in Mozambique on May 27.
Ramaphosa is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Dr Naledi Pandor and the Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo.