WATCH: President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 'missing' iPad joke misses the mark

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s light-hearted remarks lamenting his ’missing’ iPad missed the mark and caused quite the discussion online. Picture: GCIS

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s light-hearted remarks lamenting his ’missing’ iPad missed the mark and caused quite the discussion online. Picture: GCIS

Published Jun 23, 2021

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Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s light-hearted remarks lamenting his “missing” iPad missed the mark and caused quite the discussion on Twitter.

Ramaphosa was idly waiting for his laptop before his press conference on Tuesday, and ended up unintentionally giving a speech on the “missing” iPad.

The president was about to hold a press conference after he had visited the Port of Cape Town, where he announced the decision for the establishment of the National Ports Authority as an independent subsidiary of Transnet.

“I had my iPad... Do you know where they took my iPad to? This is the problem of always handing out your gadgets to other people.

“It’s always best that I should keep all these things with me, all the time. I had my iPad, I had it in my hand. It’s gone. I’ve lost it, it seems.”

A staff member then comes up to the president to explain the situation, to which he responds, “Should I sit down?”

The moment, which was caught on camera, went viral, with many on social media weighing in. Some used the opportunity to make light while others took a more critical approach.

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) June 22, 2021

— Refilwe Moloto (@RefilWest) June 22, 2021

— Nelisiwe Msomi (@NeliMsomi) June 22, 2021

— Justin Colbert (@zuess_1) June 22, 2021

The presidency later came out and clarified that the president was in jest, and that all was fine with the iPad.

“Thank you, South Africa. There was no question of the iPad being missing or stolen. The president was making a light-hearted point while waiting for the iPad to be brought to him – which it was before he began his remarks to media.”

Today, the president is in Maputo, Mozambique, t participate in the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The summit will consider the proposed “SADC Regional Response and Support to the Republic of Mozambique” to address terrorism and acts of violent extremism in the Cabo Delgado province.

This summit is a follow up of the Extraordinary SADC Double Troika Summit that took place in Mozambique on May 27.

Ramaphosa is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Dr Naledi Pandor and the Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo.

Cape Argus

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