Durban - A four-year-old’s dream of meeting President Cyril Ramaphosa came true this week.
Mehran Dildar met Ramaphosa during his oversight visit to Durban’s port. Together with her parents, twin sister, brother and older twin sisters had the opportunity to meet with the president and take photos.
For the past year Mehran, with her help of her mother, Fatima Yacoob Dildar, has been writing to the president, in the hope of meeting him.
Mehran, who has pictures of Ramaphosa stuck on her wardrobe, celebrated her birthday in December with a cake that even had a picture of the president on it. Fatima said when Mehran first saw the president on TV she said she wanted to be like him.
"At the start of lockdown Mehran started doing videos every time the president addressed us about Covid-19.
“I encouraged the videos as a means to aid her speech impediment and speech therapists recommended that doing these may help her stutter.
“However, I soon realised that she was actually listening intently to the president and almost understood parts of what he was saying.
“She said she is doing her videos to make the children understand what the president was saying,” said Fatima.
She said Mehran's birthday wish was to meet Ramaphosa.
“I even have videos of her crying because he was taking so long to meet her. I then decided to tag the Presidency on her videos.
“Her videos went viral. I still never thought that this day would happen,” she said.
She said last month she received a call from the president’s office telling her that the president wanted Mehran to know that he was watching her videos and would like to meet her.
When Mehran met Ramaphosa she was shocked and excited and screamed, “My president”.
When Ramaphosa asked Mehran why she was there, she said: “I want to be a leader like you, but a girl president.
“This was the best day of my life,” she said.
“I was shocked at first as mommy said I was going for an interview.
“I was very excited. This was my dream – to meet my president. I will never forget this day,” said Mehran.
Mehran gifted Ramaphosa a mug which read “dear President Cyril Ramaphosa”.
“Thank you for making my dream come true. Love Mehran Dildar. 15/04/2021.”
She also took him a cake with the South African flag on it together with a figurine of both the president and Mehran on it, with an inscription that said: “Thank you for making my dream come true.”
Fatima said they would continue to do the videos.
“She is more inspired to do more and do better. She wants to motivate young children on everyday issues and really tries hard,” said Fatima.
Sunday Tribune