President Cyril Ramaphosa has summoned communication minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams for a meeting after she was exposed violating the government-imposed lockdown by having lunch with former deputy minister Mduduzi Manana.
Speaking to the media after a visit to Rand Water on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said he had seen the picture of Ndabeni-Abrahams having lunch with Manana.
“I have seen the picture of minister Ndabeni Abrahms sitting at a luncheon with a number of friends and other people, I have asked her to come and see me so she is going to come and see me and I am going to have a discussion with her about the impact of visuals like those on what we are trying to do,” Ramaphosa said on ENCA.
Min of Communications Stella Ndabeni- Abrahams will need to explain her actions to President Ramaphosa pic.twitter.com/NluJVmrp4x @eNCA #LockdownSA #Covid19SA
— Ashraf Garda (@AshrafGarda) April 7, 2020
Manana Instagram post, shared on Sunday, has since been deleted.
Deleted Instagram Pic of Mdu Manana and Stella Ndabeni-Abrams violating the lockdown rules. #LockdownMzansi #Day11ofLockdown #21daysLockdownSA pic.twitter.com/fylVnjvw3T
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux  (@AdvoBarryRoux) April 7, 2020
The caption stated:
“It was great to host a former colleague and dear sister Cde Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on her way back from executing critical and essential services, required for the effective functioning of our country during lockdown.”
[ANALYSIS] Why @CyrilRamaphosa must act decisively against @Stellarated @mailandguardian –> https://t.co/U5BzYz31yK
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) April 7, 2020
Twitter reacted to the news
Does this mean we can go to lunch at friends and boyfriens.
— INdlovukazi🔱🇿🇦YakwaFumbi (@sizaninastyg) April 7, 2020
So Mdu Manana has already threw Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams under the bus.
He’s told a local radio station: “I think the minister must respond for herself because I was home and she was working nearby, so it was not dinner per se.” #Day12OfLockdown
— Bulelani Phillip (@BulelaniPhillip) April 7, 2020
The commoners shall endure #SALockdown while the elites and the ruling class enjoy each other’s company and freedom of movement. No political judgment, no commitment to cease their sense of exceptionalism. President Ramaphosa must act on Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams #covid19SA pic.twitter.com/zHo9rOpyhC
— Lukhona (@LukhonaMnguni) April 7, 2020
Also read: New Zealand health minister demoted after beach visit broke lockdown rules
The Guardian reported that New Zealand’s health minister has been demoted after he ignored national lockdown rules and drove his family to a beach 20km from his home.
Last week Dr David Clark was photographed going for a mountain bike ride 2km away from his Dunedin home. He apologised for the incident, saying it showed poor judgment at a time when all New Zealanders were being urged to stay at home and only exercise in their local area.
Now Clark has revealed a further indiscretion, calling himself an “idiot” for deciding to drive his family 20km to the Doctor’s Point beach on the first weekend of lockdown.
Lockdown rules state cars should only be used to purchase essential supplies such as food or medicine, and exercise should be taken in the local area only.
