News channel eNCA has been inviting prominent people to take over the anchor's chair on the late night news show As It Happens.
The week kicked off with the Economic Freedom Fighter's Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, followed by the Democratic Alliance's Natasha Mazzone, the African National Congress's Pule Mabe and most recently, Bantu Holomisa of the president of the United Democratic Movement.
Holomisa seemed ready for the anchor's chair earlier in the day, encouraging his followers to watch the show and send questions to interact with him.
8pm tonight, I will host #AsItHappens on #enca(DSTV403). Call on 011-759-6340, send a video via WhatsApp to 082-884-6370, Tweet your questions to @bantuholomisa and @eNCA pic.twitter.com/ZUQg43A9X0
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) May 17, 2018
But, the gremlins got the better of the teleprompter, throwing the general into the deep blue sea...
And of course, the tweeps were on hand to have a laugh a minute. In fact there's even a #BantuHolomisaChallenge brewing...
General Bantu Holomisa: You give a poor a fish, you feed him the fish. Then teach the fish how to fish. #AsItHappens😔 😢 😭 😂 pic.twitter.com/OmWZYTuNSS
— Man's Not Barry Roux (@AdvBarryRoux) May 17, 2018 They sent the wrong signals to Bantu Holomisa pic.twitter.com/maBF34iSiK
— SurgeonOfWakanda (@HKamuzinzi) May 17, 2018 Anyone who’s ever done a class speech knows all Bantu Holomisa had to do was say “Eish ma’am can I start again”.
— Wally (@walliesta) May 17, 2018 @BantuHolomisa: I see you’ve been trending. What did you do now that I’ve missed? Don’t tell me you let the fish go
— Mbhazima Shilowa (@Enghumbhini) May 18, 2018 When the General finally catches the fish 😜 #AsItHappens pic.twitter.com/J2k4wygMvy
— tsepo mohapi (@tsepomohapi36) May 17, 2018 I'm fishing... I mean... I'm finished 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/qmwPs31clE
— Clubber Lang (@KulKid_N) May 17, 2018 No no no, yena aya kwini 🤣😂🤣
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) May 17, 2018 Thankfully, the professionals helped us realise that this sometimes happens: So the technical gremlins made life a little tricky for @BantuHolomisa as he hosted #AsItHappens on #eNCA. Autocue decided to combine all the words - it happens - thank you General for joining us and being a great sport! @tonyndoro and @MichelleL_Craig know how it feels 👀👇 pic.twitter.com/xcbDhmcoEw
— eNCA (@eNCA) May 18, 2018
And the general was an absolute sport about it: Truth be told the TelePrompt Screen messed me up and caught me unaware. I will catch that fish in future. Thanks for watching.
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) May 17, 2018 Will the general consider a career in television in the near future? We'll just have to wait and see, but at least he enjoyed the show.