Ramaphosa will not address the nation tonight, says Presidency

President Cyril Ramaphosa will not address the nation on Tuesday evening, says Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu.

This after rumours circulated on social media that the president would address the nation tonight to announce another alcohol ban.

“It’s not true that President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight. It’s equally not true that the NCCC/Cabinet has taken a decision to disallow the sale of alcohol. This is all #fakenews,” said Mthembu.

Ramaphosa has also postponed a questions-and-answers session with South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) which was planned for this evening.

The president requested the postponement to attend to other engagements, including today’s meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council, said the Presidency in a statement.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu to work with Sanef to schedule a new date for this engagement, with an expectation that the engagement will take place early in the new week.

“The question and answer session will be a fulfilment of a commitment the President made publicly in an engagement with Sanef at the end of May 2020, that he will interact with Sanef and other media institutions as part of maintaining transparency and dialogue with various stakeholders in society,” said the Presidency in a statement.