Johannesburg - Former deputy president of the ANCYL Andile Lungisa has shot down President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation saying that he found no content in the speech.
Ramaphosa had on Wednesday night addressed the nation where he gave an update on the country’s Covid-19 Level Four lockdown.
He had told the nation that the National Command Council on Covid-19 was consulting widely about the possibility of moving to Level 3 at the end of the month, that some metros might be left at Level 4 as they still have huge numbers of infections and that he was looking at possibilities of relaxing some business regulations under Level 4.
However, soon after Ramaphosa had finished his speech, Lungisa, an ANC councillor and a member of the mayoral committee at the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, took to Twitter saying that “I just watched President’s address.
“I didn’t get the content of the message today.”
Lungisa’s statement, which received more than 200 reactions, was widely criticised with some of his Twitter friends accusing him of being disrespectful to Ramaphosa.
“That message needed someone who has open mind. I won’t blame you for not understanding,” said player@special_84.
University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst Lukhona Mnguni also said he found nothing interesting in what Ramaphosa had said.
“The President had absolutely nothing. NOTHING to say. This is tragic to watch actually. What informed this address?
“Not a single valuable proposition. Just words words words words …
“Hayi shame, people around the President stay misleading him,” wrote Mnguni.
However, Ramaphosa had the full backing of radio personality and senior journalist Redi Tlhadi.
“Such humility … @CyrilRamaphosa admitting that the lockdown had not been perfect. That some rules & regulations were not clear. That mistakes were made. I see no scandal here.
“Just a humble & reasonable concession. These are unprecedented times. We are in the unknown,” said Tlhadi.
Political analyst Mcebisi Ndletyana told SAFM on Thursday morning that Ramaphosa had to address the nation in order to keep it updated during this crisis period.
“Credibility and moral authority can be maintained by keeping people informed. So long as that level of verification and openness people would maintain credibility in the president, in the government,” said Ndletyana.
Political Bureau
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