Electricity minster Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has a quirky habit of glancing at the ceiling whenever he is asked about South Africa’s power generating crisis.
This habit recently caught the attention of South African netizens, and true to form, it resulted in a flood of humorous responses on Twitter.
Ramokgopa’s skyward gaze
One user shared screenshots of Ramokgopa looking skyward, even categorising the photos in stages from one to six.
In a tongue-in-cheek religious interpretation, one Twitter user humorously suggested that Ramokgopa’s habit was a “sign of looking at God before [he lies].”
The ceiling knows best?
In response, one netizen said Ramokgopa was “signaling solar power”.
Another whimsically suggested the minster was “hoping the sun might come up with a solution.”
One user quipped that his skyward gaze was a sign of “making things up on the spot,” adding that Ramokgopa was “creating pies in the sky.”
Stage 6 pic.twitter.com/VhSHAlMiNm— Cliff the Reporter (@CliffShiko) May 15, 2023
More light-hearted guesses included the minister “checking if the lights are on before he answers the question” or “praying the lights don’t go off while he is speaking.”
Glancing upwards: More than meets the eye
Amid the laughter, it’s worth noting that the act of looking up can have deeper implications, and contrary to popular belief, it is not always an indication that someone is lying.
Stage 5 pic.twitter.com/e2k1W6cgVr— Cliff the Reporter (@CliffShiko) May 15, 2023
When asked a question, people often look upwards as they search for the right words to articulate their thoughts.
An example of this is Daniel Radcliffe looking up after being asked a question, at one minute and 20 seconds into the video.
Furthermore, neurodivergent individuals may at times look away as a necessary step in processing information and formulating a response.
It can also be a subconscious reaction when faced with insurmountable challenges or a streak of bad luck.
And when you think about it, being the minister of electricity in a country that hasn’t had a decent supply of electricity for 16 years fits squarely in this category.
At the end of the day, the Twitter fun around Ramokgopa’s skyward glances serves as a humorous reminder that beneath the political surface, politicians are human too.
