A VIEW OF THE WEEK: It’s all fun and Rugby games until Ramaphosa hogs the ball

After dating a few, one thing I have learned about narcissists is they would cry just to look at their reflection in the puddle of tears.

The same can be said of the leader South Africa finds itself in an arranged marriage with: President Cyril Ramaphosa.

While debates around his presidency have swirled ever since he took office five years ago, Ramaphosa managed to disappoint nearly everyone in the country this last week.

A week that was rightly dominated by the Springboks winning the Rugby World Cup was at times overshadowed by criticism of Ramaphosa “snatching the trophy” off the team and his celebratory address to the nation that failed, even in its true intention to be a political advert ahead of next year’s elections.

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While the winning nation’s presidents are often snapped in World Cup celebrations, and Ramaphosa was part of the medal ceremony, it was him lifting the trophy within seconds of the initial lift by captain Siya Kolisi that had many wondering if the moment was all about him.

It may have been easier to digest if he had allowed the team to celebrate before getting his moment with the cup.

Ramaphosa’s antics were also magnified in many minds by Kolisi’s post-match speech about the country struggling and needing hope. Much of that struggle has happened under Ramaphosa’s presidency.

A public holiday delayed

The hope of a nation that carried the Springboks to world dominance became the hope for a public holiday.

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Ramaphosa had himself teased it a few weeks earlier when he said he would consider declaring a day off if the Springboks won the cup. Whether he was politicking or didn’t believe in the team, he appeared to have been caught flat-footed when having to account for his words. He seemed to have made no plans for calling one and ran for the nearest hill of excuses.

Instead of negotiating with business, convincing the economists, and being decisive with the education ministry in moving exams; Ramaphosa just let the matric final exams become a convenient scapegoat.

He called a public holiday for two months later when the next crisis would have distracted the nation’s mind far from the Springboks’ victory, and to fill in the gap of a day off lost to The Day of Reconciliation being on a Saturday.

That was the only highlight of an address that Ramaphosa had hijacked to sing his and his government’s praises.

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Sadly, the backlash wasn’t enough to deter him from repeating praises for his government and ministers at the Union Buildings on Thursday during the Springboks’ trophy parade.

The Dr that never was

He was nearly outdone in theatrics by “bogus social media doctor” Matthew Lani. Lani was arrested on Sunday while trying to sneak into Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg, a facility he had weaselled his way into previously to add authority to his TikTok videos.

He was later released, after prosecutors said there was no evidence he had hurt anyone with his medical advice, despite him not being qualified to dispense guidance or medicine.

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Standing on a podium with microphones around him, Lani was in his element. He responded to questions like a narcissistic politician, and pulled “no comments” and excuses out just as easily as one.

His lawyer said he had created the potentially dangerous content “for entertainment”.

I wonder if that’s the same way Ramaphosa sees his presidency.