Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa and his governing ANC party have been slammed on social media over what many have described as “embarrassing” pictures of a road repair project in Delmas in Mpumalanga.
The project was led by Ramaphosa, who was reportedly attending the ANC’s Letsema service delivery campaign.
He joined municipal workers who were busy with road repairs in Delmas, as part of Letsema campaign.
IOL reported that the campaign launched on April 23 in Mangaung, was aimed at placing ANC structures at the forefront of resolving community challenges, including service delivery and social inclusion.
Pictures and videos of the project went viral on social media and saw the president and his political party being criticisised for taking pride in what many described as an “embarrassing” attempt to service delivery.
Cde President @CyrilRamaphosa leads the NEC, PEC and REC members as well as volunteers during the #Letsema Campaign in Delmas, Mpumalanga.
The President joined a cleaning campaign and an operation to fix and repair roads, closing potholes. pic.twitter.com/NifbbUa9zd
— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) September 3, 2022
In one of the videos, Ramaphosa could be seen wrestling with a heavy-duty granulator machine, moving slowly as he patched one of many potholes dotting the streets of Botleng township in Delmas.
Social media users and political party leaders took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
Some were shocked at the decreasing level of standards for the leading political party.
“Which road is being repaired here, minister? What level of desperate grandstanding is this? We knew things are bad but not to these embarrassing levels. Please delete this tweet and the photos posted about the illusionary fixing of roads. Please,” tweeted Economic Freedom Fighters deputy president, Floyd Shivambu.
President Ramaphosa attending to potholes. pic.twitter.com/T8ouTbewac
— Mr. Tshweu (@TshweuMoleme) September 3, 2022
One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane weighed in and he had a lot to say in a number of tweets.
“ANC, are you not embarrassed? This is very embarrassing,” wrote Maimane in one tweet.
“For sure he is thinking ‘I should have put my US dollars in a pothole’,” he wrote in another tweet.
“We are now cutting ribbons for potholes. This is what happens when the money for maintaining roads has been looted. Only 41 out of 257 municipalities received clean audits. Our taxes are flowing into ANC pockets by any tender necessary,” said Maimane.
Here are more reactions to the tweet
I can tell you now for free that this pothole won’t last rainy season. Lol a round pothole being patched ? This guys are not serious. A pothole must be cut square in a neat way not this scramble eggs? pic.twitter.com/77Ye3rvfZg
— Rumani® (@RealMrumaDrive) September 4, 2022
Which road is being repaired here minister? What level of desperate grandstanding is this? We knew things are bad but not to these embarrassing levels. Please delete this tweet and am the photos posted about the illusionary fixing of roads! Please! https://t.co/2SMhcDEqxY
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) September 3, 2022
Sgaxa. We are now cutting ribbons for potholes.
This is what happens when the money for maintaining roads has been looted.
Only 41 out of 257 municipalities received clean audits, our taxes are flowing into ANC pockets by any tender necessary. pic.twitter.com/5JksU2aPuK
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) September 3, 2022
You got no shame
— Me. I am Neo (@NeoMerafi) September 3, 2022
So they are patching a gravel road. Wow ANC this makes no sense!
— Lady Bonny (@BeingBonBon) September 3, 2022
It is unfortunate that you can’t see an embarrassing act. The whole president and government leaders celebrating the closing of the potholes which left for 5years unattended whilst you were busy stealing money earmarked for road maintenance. You’re pathetic
— Thembeka (@of_unisex) September 3, 2022
ANC leaders never miss a good chance to embarrass themselves. pic.twitter.com/q4sIySi69C
— TroubleGal (@Deartroublegal) September 3, 2022
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Picture: Twitter/Twitter/@MbalulaFikile
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