[imagesource: Twitter / @MbalulaFikile]

How many politicians does it take to fix a pothole?

We laugh, because it’s either that or cry.

On Saturday, President Ramaphosa headed to Delmas, Mpumalanga, as part of an ANC service delivery campaign.

Images and videos of the president shared on social media showing him operating a granulator machine, while ANC members stood watching in party regalia, went down about as well as one would expect.

Before we get to those, here’s News24:

Ramaphosa explained that the ANC’s service delivery activities were necessary because they allowed people to reimagine the ANC as a party that works.

“I am really excited about this programme because it is getting our people to look at the ANC anew. To see that the ANC can be focused on service delivery. That the ANC can focus on what matters most to the people of our country, which is the delivery of better and more efficient services to them. That is the Letsema campaign,” Ramaphosa said.

‘Reimagine the ANC as a party that works’ – I don’t think that’s as effective an approach as you think.

Start the engines:

[WATCH] #ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa fixing potholes in Delmas, Mpumalanga. pic.twitter.com/32btrJfWDJ

— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) September 3, 2022

When you appear for for a photo and video op, be sure to capture the action from multiple angles:

OPERATION VALA ZONKE Mr President

Vid Ref by @samkelemaseko pic.twitter.com/khl1UFs4Ut

— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) September 3, 2022

I think what’s most incredible about Saturday’s action is the likes of transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and the ANC sharing this and thinking it’s a win. Then again, this is the same party that once had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an outside toilet.

News24 notes that the day ended with “a public engagement where Delmas residents slammed the ANC for poor service delivery, joblessness and corruption”.

It’s almost like they saw through the charade, as did the rest of the country. Mmusi Maimane called a spade a spade:

ANC are you not embarrassed? This is very embarrassing! pic.twitter.com/5JksU2aPuK

— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) September 3, 2022

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema also chimed in, labelling the public appearance “a pretentious way of wanting to be seen to be doing something when you are busy with nothing”.

Do you guys reckon the Delmas pothole will make it to the Monday presidential love letter?

— Khaya Sithole (@CoruscaKhaya) September 3, 2022

This is so embarrassing. International media will ridicule us for this! How can we celebrate mediocrity? We need to celebrate bullet trains and massive highways. Not some patchy-patchy kindergarten project on a dirt road.

— Christo 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 (@ChristoThurston) September 3, 2022

I’m very proud of my president. That Delmas pothole felt the excruciating wrath of being leveled by the state president. What it did against SA motorists will never happen again. Even its fellow colleagues across our provinces & towns are deterred. On their own their will vanish

— Khulani Qoma (@KhulaniQoma) September 4, 2022

The pothole has been vanquished. We are led.

[source:news24]