DA in London slams 'gallivanting' Ramaphosa for 'having tea with King Charles' while SA is in the dark

Instead of “having a cup tea with King Charles and jet gallivanting”, President Cyril Ramaphosa should have stayed in South Africa to resolve the energy crisis.

This is the view of a handful of DA members who staged a silent protest outside South Africa House in London on Monday afternoon. This is where Ramaphosa had his first engagement with expats after landing at Stansted Airport on Monday morning for his historic state visit to the UK.

Holding a placard saying, “Mr Ramaphosa: Why are you jet-setting around the world when South Africa is at stage 5 load-shedding?” leader of the DA abroad and former MP Gordon MacKay said the protest was a show of solidarity with South Africans who did not support the war in Ukraine, among other matters.

“The war in Ukraine is repugnant and a bad idea for South Africa. We are also here to stop the president from trying to 'king wash' his administration.

“While he is here having tea with the king most South Africans are experiencing level five blackouts. In South Africa they cannot even put on a kettle for their own cup of tea.

“We are saying Mr Ramaphosa you should be at home solving SA’s problems and not jet gallivanting here with ANC MPs and your delegation staying in a five-star hotel costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of rand for a visit here so that you can make yourself look good.”

Though SA has adopted a neutral position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said Ramaphosa’s administration was contributing to the high cost of living as a result of the war.

“We need a peaceful solution to Ukraine and we are saying there are better opportunities needed in South Africa to solve the crisis that we face and Mr Ramaphosa should be focused on those right now.”

He added South Africa “was pretending and hiding but it’s very clear that SA supports Russia in the matter and we want an unequivocal statement to say we do not support this war, we want a peaceful resolution, Russia to withdraw and a free and democratic Ukraine. We want South Africa to focus on SA problems.”

Chair of the DA abroad Ludre Stevens said: “South Africa has been bumped up to stage 5 load-shedding but Ramaphosa is enjoying tea with the king. He should go back home and sort out Eskom, corruption and answer questions on Phala Phala. Why is he gallivanting around the world? He has to be in South Africa to solve the problems in South Africa. He has failed as a president.”

Nana Mthembu said she has one message for the ANC: “I dare all of these politicians to touch the Ingonyama Trust, we are going to show you flames. There will be blood on the floor in South Africa.”

Phumzile Nsele said she took time out from her busy schedule because she is worried about the “lies that the ANC is telling people”.

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