Ramapostponer: Twitter pokes fun at Zexit and the NEC meeting

The ruling party’s ongoing efforts to persuade President Jacob Zuma to step down has spawned a rather unflattering nickname for the country’s deputy president – Ramapostponer.

While the NEC was locked behind closed doors during its marathon 13-hour meeting‚ Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema was tweeting updates.

Ramapostponer‚ he tweeted‚ had been mandated to convey a message to the “delinquent” to resign or be recalled. And with that he wished his followers goodnight.

The outcome of the NEC meeting left the nation hanging on tenterhooks. Was Zuma going to step down or fight back? All of the speculation elicited hundreds‚ thousands‚ maybe tens of thousands of reactions and memes on social media.

And here are nine that caught our eye.

Advocate Dali Mpofu appeared to agree that there were too many delays and too little progress in the Zexit negotiations.

Malema retweeted a video by Tumi Sole that mocked efforts by Ramaphosa and ANC NEC members who were trying to present a “united front”.

While negotiations about the so-called “transition” dragged on‚ one thing became apparent. Just as Robert Mugabe was not persuaded to go quickly in Zimbabwe‚ neither would Zuma’s exit be a fast and furious one. Mosima Matosa hit the nail on the head with this tweet.

@Junbugstone had a different take on the Mugabe and Zuma story.

Stepoli was more upbeat and proposed a #ZumaGonePartySong to celebrate his imminent departure. 

Black Industrialist suggested that Zuma was bigger than the whole party and its NEC.

Jones Mzizi captured Zuma’s defiant attitude after having survived several motions of no confidence and calls for his head with an imagined conversation between him and members of the NEC.

“ANC NEC: Mr President‚ when are you bidding the people of South Africa farewell?

“President: Where are they going?”

Kevin Levy‚ commenting on the postponement of the NEC press briefing from noon to 2pm on Tuesday‚ said the whole saga resembled a soap opera.

And just in case Zuma argued that he should not quit because he had done nothing wrong‚ Sihle provided a list of names to jog his memory.

Finally, Meeka Olivier has a suggestion for the country: