This week’s edition of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s weekly letters to the nation, “From the Desk of the President”, has left a bitter taste in the mouth of many, based on the reactions on social media.
In the letter, Ramaphosa calls power station Medupi “a fitting symbol of the importance of our state-owned enterprises”.
“Despite the depth of current challenges, none of our SOEs is lost. They can all be saved. But it will take extraordinary effort and, in some cases, tough decisions,” the president writes.
Harsh criticism online came from people including journalists Ferial Haffajee, Ray Mahlaka, and Erin Bates, political analyst Daniel Silke, and activist Zackie Achmat.
Both Mahlaka and Bates described the president’s letter as “tone-deaf”.
“The number one citizen gloating about a serially late and budget-blowing Medupi Power Station. Gloating about a looting scheme,” Mahlaka tweeted.
“No mention of how his administration plans to yank the country out of darkness in the interim. So tone-deaf [and] out of touch with reality,” he added.
As part of a long thread, Bates responded to the president calling Medupi a fitting symbol of SA state-owned enterprises.