[imagesource: YouTube/ News24]

I wonder if it is a condition of living in South Africa that the minute something gets lost, the first thought we have is that it was stolen.

I’ve seen people run around with their phones in their hands or their glasses on their heads, claiming that they’ve been taken.

Even our president, Cyril Ramaphosa, had a moment before delivering an important announcement in Cape Town yesterday.

TimesLIVE reports that he was about to announce that the National Ports Authority was now an independent subsidiary of Transnet, but when he went up to the podium the first thing he said was “I am looking for my iPad. Somebody stole my iPad.”

He continued after being met with silence all around:

“Somebody decided they want to dispossess me of my iPad, so I want that. Can I have my iPad please? They stole it.”

The video of Ramaphosa standing with absolute puzzlement and near-silence while he asks after his iPad has been widely ridiculed:

After yet another moment of silence for the “stolen” iPad, Ramaphosa turned to acting presidency spokesperson Tyrone Seale and revealed; “I had my iPad. I had it in my hand. It’s gone. I have lost it, it seems.”

Seale then asked Ramaphosa to take a seat while officials tried to locate the device.

Finally, the iPad was reunited with Ramaphosa, which allowed him to continue as planned.

For future reference, Cyril and co, Digicape has some great iPad deals going on.

What I don’t understand is why our president couldn’t simply speak off the cuff for a moment? That silence was excruciating to watch.

Perhaps this tweet from the Presidency can clear the air:

Thank you, South Africa. There was no question of the iPad being missing or stolen. The President was making a light-hearted point while waiting for the iPad to be brought to him – which it was before he began his remarks to media.

— Presidency | South Africa ?? (@PresidencyZA) June 22, 2021

Unless this tweet from Simon Grindrod, a former Deputy Leader of the Independent Democrats, does a better job of explaining things:

SA UPDATE – Cyril wanted his iPad but it wasn’t in his hands. Athi said she found it but the Presidency said it wasn’t missing in the first place. Fikile was in the room but nobody checked his bag. Tito is writing poetry. Pravin is deleting his files on SAA. It’s only Tuesday. ??

— Simon Grindrod (@SimonPGrindrod) June 22, 2021

Ja, no, shame, hey?

[source:timeslive]