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Ramaphosa briefly fools SA into thinking his account was hacked
It turned out to be an elections publicity stunt to get people to vote ANC.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, 20 February 2019, during the Electoral Commission ‘s official signing of the Code of Conduct Pledge by political parties contesting the 2019 National and Provincial elections. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday morning uploaded an initially strange-looking image to his official Twitter account, which led many to believe it had been hacked.
Every single word from what looked like an ANC message appeared to be censored.
⛓✊🏿🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/tqkYa7SDp6
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 21, 2019
You ok boss?
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— Amanda Watson (@_amandzing) March 21, 2019
However, minutes later, a second tweet made it clear the first one was intentional, and was possibly intended as a reminder of how the letters of detained or imprisoned struggle fighters had been censored during apartheid.
The ANC president was playing this apparent game with his followers in celebration of Human Rights Day, which takes place on the same day as the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, an event that began to turn world opinion against the apartheid government.
What are human rights? pic.twitter.com/GqB2xWMYcR
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 21, 2019
Ramaphosa asked: “What are human rights?” but much of the responses suggested people are currently more interested in having uninterrupted electricity supply and other services, which a few told him the ruling ANC has been struggling to give them.
https://twitter.com/nomorebullSA/status/1108604262244892672
Getting access to water, power , health care in a safe lawful environment- we have 52 murders a day in SA – most of the population live in survival mode – #crythybelovednation – the anc has failed the people
— Sherene Kingma (@serene_yemanja) March 21, 2019
Ok now I think I understand where you’re going. I thought your account was sabotaged and sinister forces were at play.
— Kim Lerena Backos (@momwifecareer) March 21, 2019
As the morning continued, the message from the president became clearer, as the blanked-out words appeared.
Human rights give us our freedoms #HumanRightsDay pic.twitter.com/08a2yy5uOO
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 21, 2019
The full message turned out to be a quote from late singer Miriam Makeba, whose freedoms were curtailed under apartheid.
Ramaphosa said the country now had freedom, and that was why he would be voting for the ANC.
However, not all his followers were equally convinced, especially after Ramaphosa got himself stuck on a government-run train for four hours on Monday. One user said: “Now the entire South Africa has their freedom of movement denied by the ANC and Eskom.”
Miriam Makeba had her freedom of movement denied by the Apartheid state.
Today we have the freedom to go where we want in our beautiful country. That is why I am voting ANC on the 8th of May.#GrowSouthAfrica #VoteANC #HumanRightsDay pic.twitter.com/q8b7IYMsU1
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 21, 2019
U also have freedom to have lied to us about handling Eskom issues when u were in charge. Anc has become a great lie. U got stuck in a train and pretended that u did not know it happens hourly. I don't think u can be trusted with anything u say. U have been part of this for long.
— Tsholanku Nkophara (@tsholanku) March 21, 2019
The President shall be voting himself on the 8th of May… lets hope the voting stations will have enough lights…
— Ahi Pfumeleni eka Yeso (@khavhara) March 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/HjQuinzel/status/1108612318299074560
(Compiled by Charles Cilliers)
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