Man down. No. 1 citizen Jacob Zuma has been ordered to strict bed-rest by (maybe) the same doctors that brought you “Shabir Schaik Beats The System” and now, Cyril Ramaphosa is officially the acting president of South Africa. Not sure what that means exactly? Neither were we. So we consulted that know-it-all ,Wikipedia.
Acting officials typically play a caretaker role while acting….An “acting” official holds office to ensure both the stability and continuity of his department will continue despite the absence of a formal leader. Acting for has the same basic meaning as “acting”, except it indicates that the original occupant of the position still formally holds power.
– Wikipedia
…so Jacob Zuma is still effectively still the president of South Africa. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will only represent Bra Jake in the performance of state tasks. The most immediate of his tasks in the public domain is reading the eulogy of former president Thabo Mbeki’s mom Epainette Mbeki in Dutywa, Eastern Cape on Saturday, the 14th of June. This will be followed by a speech during the nationally-televised June 16 youth celebrations to be held in Kimberley on Monday.
So, is there anything particularly interesting about Cyril Ramaphosa being the acting president of South Africa for a couple of days? Yes, yes there is. This could be considered a worthwhile audition for the man very likely to become the next president of South Africa in 2019. Just how stately or presidential he is during his time as acting chief may decide his fate. We’ll keep you updated.
That’s all from my desk today, join us tomorrow for The Latest with Molefi!
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The #2014Elections have set an exciting and vibrant context for the future of South Africa politics to unfold upon. What happens now that you’ve voted? How do we gauge whether we’re “moving the country forward”, whether we’re “bringing change” or “economic freedom in our lifetime”? Stick with #LiveVIPZA and we’ll give you analysis, debates, comments, polls and all YOU need to understand, enjoy and interact with SA politics.
