Ramaphosa Pokes Fun at Oval Office Meeting with Trump

President Cyril Ramaphosa joked that after his meeting with US President Trump, where the US president darkened his office to play a clip of EFF leader Julius Malema chanting ‘Kill the Boer’, he’s now triggered by the dimming of lights.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the Century City Conference Centre during the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA). Picture: GCIS

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has poked fun at last week’s meeting in the Oval Office, saying he’s now triggered by the dimming of lights.

Midway through a meeting with United States (US) President Donald Trump last week, Trump ordered his staff to darken his office to play a clip of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema chanting the struggle song “Kill the Boer” on a television placed in the office.

On Tuesday, as the lights dimmed at the Century City Convention Centre where Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium, he joked that he’s now on high alert when this happens.

As Ramaphosa took the stage at the symposium, he looked quizzically at Radio 702 host Clement Manyathela, saying he thought he was in for another surprise.

Manyathela is the master of ceremonies at the symposium and was also one of the South African journalists present in the Oval Office during Ramaphosa’s meeting with Trump last week.

“So, when I came in, I saw the room going a bit dark. They darkened the room, and for a moment, I wondered, what is this? It’s happening to me again [laughs].”

Reflecting on this meeting, Ramaphosa said he thought he had just found his groove in his discussion with Trump when the lights were dimmed.

“A number of people have said this was an ambush, this was an ambush, and I was bemused. I was saying, what’s happening [laughs]?”

Ramaphosa joked that seeing Manyathela on Tuesday was a flashback to that occasion and made him think that Manyathela could have something to do with repeating what they both experienced in the Oval Office.