The meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday had several awkward moments that left many South Africans, including Ramaphosa and his delegation, embarrassed.
Here are the top five cringey moments:
1. Trump's ambush with Malema's 'kill the Boer' video
Trump played a video of EFF leader Julius Malema chanting “kill the Boer”, catching Ramaphosa and his delegation off guard. While the video was playing, Ramaphosa visibility reacted and was seen clutching onto his chair, wiping his face and trying to interject to defend himself, while Trump interrupted him with claims of land confiscation in South Africa and killings of white farmers.
Ramaphosa tried to explain that white farmers aren't the only ones being killed.
“There is criminality in our country. People get killed through criminal activity and they are not only white people. Most of them are black people,” he said.
Top five cringey moments from Ramaphosa's meeting with Trump
The meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday had several awkward moments that left many South Africans, including Ramaphosa and his delegation, embarrassed.
Here are the top five cringey moments:
1. Trump's ambush with Malema's 'kill the Boer' video
Trump played a video of EFF leader Julius Malema chanting “kill the Boer”, catching Ramaphosa and his delegation off guard. While the video was playing, Ramaphosa visibility reacted and was seen clutching onto his chair, wiping his face and trying to interject to defend himself, while Trump interrupted him with claims of land confiscation in South Africa and killings of white farmers.
Ramaphosa tried to explain that white farmers aren't the only ones being killed.
“There is criminality in our country. People get killed through criminal activity and they are not only white people. Most of them are black people,” he said.
2. Unverified burial sites of white farmers
Trump played a clip of what he claimed were burial sites of white farmers in South Africa, without providing any context or proof. “These are burial sites of white farmers. It's a terrible sight, I've never seen anything like that,” Trump said.
Ramaphosa looked shocked, asking where the sites were located, but none of his delegation seemed to know. “I'd like to know where that is because this, I've never seen it,” he said.
Trump then pulled out articles about farm murders, trying to support his narrative of white genocide.
3. Trump vs the journalist
When a journalist asked about a luxurious jet gifted to the US government by Qatar, Trump became defensive, telling the reporter to leave and accusing NBC of trying to change the subject.
He criticised the journalist, saying they were “not smart enough” to be a reporter and NBC was a “terrible network”.
“You don't have what it takes to be a reporter, you're not smart enough. You ought to go back to your studio at NBC, you ought to be investigated. You're a disgrace, no more questions from you. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're such a bad reporter.”
4. Ramaphosa stepping in to answer for Trump
Asked what it would take for Trump to believe there's no white genocide in South Africa, Ramaphosa jumped in to answer, saying: “It would take Trump listening to the voices of South Africans. I won't be repeating what I've been saying.”
Ramaphosa added that if there were a genocide, the white members of his delegation wouldn't be present.
Some people on social media welcomed his response, while others wanted to hear Trump's thoughts.
5. Trump dictating who Ramaphosa should bring to the meeting
Ramaphosa revealed that Trump had told him to bring renowned golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to the meeting. Some South Africans felt Trump was overstepping, dictating who Ramaphosa should bring along. The delegation also included businessman Johann Rupert and minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen.
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