President Cyril Ramaphosa was warmly cheered by women during the 20th National Women’s Day Commemoration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, prompting him to “clock it” while seated on his designated chair on the podium.
In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the South African president can be seen laughing and appearing to blush as the women cheered him on.
He then raised his right hand and made the now-popular Gen Z gesture associated with noticing or acknowledging an obvious behaviour.
The gesture, often accompanied by a small thumb-and-finger tap, is commonly used to mean “I saw that” or “spot on”. It has been linked to Black and Latinx underground culture. Ramaphosa’s playful reaction quickly amused social media users, with the clip generating widespread attention online.
The event marked 70 years since the historic Women’s March of 1956, when about 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings to oppose the apartheid government’s plan to extend pass laws to Black women.
The protest was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophie Williams-de Bruyn, the only surviving leader of the march.
This year’s commemoration was held under the theme, “Empowered Women Empower Nations”. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai also attended the event.
Ramaphosa praised the women who fought against apartheid and highlighted the progress made since the dawn of democracy in 1994. However, he noted that women continue to face poverty, unemployment, violence and unequal opportunities.
Ramaphosa has served as South Africa’s president since 2018 and has led the African National Congress (ANC) since 2017.
During his tenure, his administration has focused on fighting corruption, rebuilding state institutions, improving the electricity sector and attracting investment. However, his government has also faced serious challenges, including power shortages, high unemployment, poverty and slow economic growth.
Recent government reports indicate that load-shedding has improved, although millions of South Africans continue to struggle to find jobs and meet their daily needs.
The commemoration served as a reminder that the struggle for gender equality remains ongoing.
Ramaphosa has increasingly become a source of viral moments during some of his public interactions.
In a recent clip, a group of supporters approached him and asked to take photographs with him. The president warmly allowed them to pose alongside him before joking about whether they would still support Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema after taking pictures with him. His comment sparked laughter among the supporters and those nearby.
Another memorable moment involved a schoolgirl who called Ramaphosa “Mr Cupcake” before jumping into his arms during a public visit. The unexpected greeting also spread online and amused many viewers.