Minister Gayton applauds Cyril Ramaphosa
While many South Africans expressed disappointment over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent visit to Washington D.C., Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie took a different stance, one of open admiration.
As online platforms buzzed with criticism from black South Africans who felt let down by the president’s meeting with U.S. leaders, McKenzie chose to praise the president for his leadership.
Taking to his X account, the minister didn’t hold back in applauding Ramaphosa and his team.
“Thanks for resetting our relationship with America, Mr. President. You handled this meeting like a true boss,” McKenzie wrote.
“You made many of us very proud to be South African,” he added, doubling down on his support. “Let the haters hate, and the patriots be patriotic. Thanks also to your whole delegation.”
However, McKenzie’s public endorsement didn’t land well with everyone.
His post was quickly met with criticism, with some users accusing him of political double standards and downplaying what they felt was a weak performance by Ramaphosa on the global stage.
“This was embarrassing to watch. A head of state should never be treated this way,” one user commented.
Another wrote, “Weird how politicians change their tunes when they become MPs, lol.”
Others criticised the president’s body language, questioning the optics of the meeting.
Despite the backlash, McKenzie appeared unfazed, sticking by his view that Ramaphosa’s conduct strengthened diplomatic ties and deserved recognition.
