Cape Town – Ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s birthday on Thursday, South Africans from different parts of the country have taken to social media to wish the president a happy birthday.
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was born on November 17, 1952 in Johannesburg.
His family was moved from Western Native Township to Soweto in 1962, where he attended Tshilidzi Primary School. He completed high school at Mphaphuli High School in Sibasa, Venda, in 1971.
In December 2012, he was elected ANC deputy president at the ANC’s 53rd National Conference in Mangaung. He was appointed deputy president of the Republic of South Africa on May 25, 2014.
In December 2017, he was elected 13th ANC president at the 54th national conference in Johannesburg.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn-in as president of South Africa on Thursday, February 15, 2018 following the resignation of president Jacob Zuma.
Ramaphosa will be turning 70 years old on Thursday and South Africans joined his team in celebrating him on social media networks, sharing and expressing their thoughts regarding the president’s birthday. This after his team shared a cheerful graphic on line urging people to share sweet birthday messages.
A tweet reading: “President @CyrilRamaphosa turns 70 on Thursday, 17 November 2022. We invite you to send a birthday message to the president via hashtags #HappyBirthdayPresident #Ramaphosa70” was posted at around 6am on Wednesday morning and in under 7 hours had garnered over 2 000 likes plus hundreds of comments and retweets.
President @CyrilRamaphosa turns 70 on Thursday, 17 November 2022. We invite you to send a birthday message to the President via hashtags #HappyBirthdayPresident #Ramaphosa70 pic.twitter.com/dPm2Fl3d2W
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 16, 2022
While some people took the opportunity to share their woes, a good number of people used the opportunity to wish President Ramaphosa a happy birthday ahead of his birth date on Thursday. Some people even shared funny and endearing messages.
Here are a few messages that were shared under the president’s tweet:
“Happy birthday to our outgoing president, we wish you a happy and healthy pension.”
Happy birthday to our outgoing president we wish you a happy and healthy pension.#Ramaphosa70 pic.twitter.com/iacC0TslYP
— Menzi Majola 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 (@MENZIMAJOLAH) November 16, 2022
Another user tweeted: “Happy birthday HE @CyrilRamaphosa, wishing you well and the best of health.”
Happy birthday HE @CyrilRamaphosa wishing you well and the best of health.
— Elvis Fokala (@elvisfokala) November 16, 2022
Other social media users tweeted, “Happy birthday Mphathi”, and “My babes 🥰🥰 happy birthday Mister President!” “Happy Birthday, Vhavenda!” and “Send us ewallets for his birthday tuu”.
Another user tweeted “Happy birthday Mr President … from Nyawo clan we wish you all the best.”
Happy birthday Mr President… from Nyawo clan we wish you all the best
— Nhlanhla Nyawo (@nhlanhla_nyawo) November 16, 2022
Others used the opportunity to highlight some of the challenges and issues in the country that vexed them, and also couldn’t believe his age.
this is not going to go the way you thought it would.. https://t.co/28q6vqJGU9
We are unemployed, hungry, poor, plagued by corruption and crime, and you want us to wish a billionaire a happy birthday?! He'll have a happy birthday regardless of our wishes, because he is none of the things I listed above. https://t.co/nkAf42pdUs
— Siya Gupta-Motsepe (@siyabee) November 16, 2022
Happy Loadshedding day #Ramaphosa70 https://t.co/3N7oOEnU79
— Thando (@Ta_Fitty) November 16, 2022
I can't wait for that day when we don't allow anyone over 65 to be a public official in any capacity🚮#Ramaphosa70 https://t.co/vyhsblllLm
A whole 70... https://t.co/3VoLxK07Hl pic.twitter.com/fhcPKf3FSt
— Afrikan Queen (@kefentse_m) November 16, 2022
Happy unemployment
— Modibe Vladimir Modiba (@mmodiba10) November 16, 2022
Happy increasing debt
Happy selling of SOE's
Happy growing inequality
Happy racism
Happy load shedding
Happy targeting of black businesses
Happy no more coal
Happy being controlled by the West
Happy failed President @CyrilRamaphosa ✌🏾 https://t.co/l1lTAw0bir
You guys really knows how to provoke people at the close range https://t.co/y1p3wCNlpV pic.twitter.com/CCPoqoNv7m
Happy birthday mokgalabe. Thank you for your service. You can retire now. https://t.co/vMhxchfGVz
— Kagiso M Kekana (@iamkagiso_m_k) November 16, 2022
The president did, however, feel the love in person as he got early birthday wishes while in Indonesia.
Early birthday wishes to the President from the South African Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia and delegation to #G20 #HappyBirthdayPresident #Ramaphosa70 pic.twitter.com/nOVpmqxrPi
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 16, 2022