President Cyril Ramaphosa has summoned Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, over a picture of her appearing to be undermining government’s message to stay at home.
Former Deputy Higher Education Minister Mduduzi Manana, posted a picture of him and family members hosting Ndabeni-Abrahams sharing a meal.
In an Instagram post which was widely circulated on social media on Tuesday, Manana said : “It was great to host a former colleague and a sister Cde Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (minister of Communications and Digital Technologies) on her way back from executing critical and essential services required for the effective functioning of the country during the nationwide lockdown”.
Addressing the media outside of the Rand Water headquarters in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon, Ramaphosa said he had had seen the Ndabeni-Abrahams picture.
“I have asked her to come and see me. I am going to have a discussion with her about the impact of visuals like those on what we are trying to do,” the president said.
“We are trying to instil a clear message to all our people that social distance is important, let us stay at home, let us not be going around with visitation, if you have to, it must be work related. Like now I have come here for a job-related visit to come and inspect what we are doing. After this I am going straight home,” he added.
Ramaphosa also said the number of people infected with COVID-19 would have been higher had government not imposed a 21-days lockdown.
He said that they would in the coming days do an assessment of the regulations to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 1686, with 12 deaths recorded.
ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte called on ANC national executive committee (NEC) members to lead by example and demonstrate “political consciousness and sensitivity in our conduct and communication, especially on social media”.
“Photos of opulent living and consumption of non-essential substances should be avoided. We must be seen to lead in both the letter and spirit of the national lockdown,” she said, in a message to the NEC members.
In a statement, Manana denied that it was a social lunch, saying that Ndabeni- Abrahams had been at his home to collect personal protective equipment for students in the Fourways area were working on Covid-19 digital services.
“On hindsight, it was irresponsible to post a picture without giving a clear context and thereby creating an impression that it was a social lunch. For this, we profusely apologise,” he said.
