‘That’s okay’: Cyril catches flak for footage with maskless Graça Michel

Not even a day after warning that South Africans have become too complacent with mask wearing and social distancing, President Cyril Ramaphosa has been recorded telling someone who was not wearing a mask not to worry about it. 

In the clip, which was uploaded to Twitter on Monday afternoon, Ramaphosa is seen in a room with Nelson Mandela’s widow Graça Michel and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

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Michel greets Mapisa-Nqakula, but realises halfway through the embrace that she is not wearing a mask. 

She exclaims: “But I’m not even wearing a mask!”, to which Ramaphosa responds: “No, that’s okay.” 

Graca Machel is not wearing a face mask, hugging minister of SANDF Nosiviwe Nqakula in front of Cyril Ramaphosa and Ramaphosa says “No that’s ok”

What rubbish is this? ????????#CornwallHillCollege Herman Mashaba Uncle Vinny #AskAMan #Siyathandana SABC Limpopo pic.twitter.com/7YHJHJcNeD

— Nkosinati ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (@NkosinatiMagwa) May 31, 2021

Social media users were incensed, with the uploader of the video asking in the post: “What rubbish is this?” 

In Ramaphosa’s address on Sunday night, he said the country would be placed on adjusted alert level 2. He acknowledged that South Africans have been experiencing “pandemic fatigue”, with people not following mask wearing and social distancing protocols, but that there would be “tragic consequences” if the virus continues to spread unchecked.

The only notable changes in his announcement was stricter curfew hours, from 11pm to 4am, and more rules regarding mass gatherings. 

Restaurants, bars and other social establishments also have to close at 10pm to respect the updated curfew.