The recap: 5 SONA moments that had our jaws on the floor

by Nomonde Simelane

The State of the Nation Address (SONA) has brought about much excitement and chatter as President Cyril Ramaphosa gives us a rundown of everything the government has in store for citizens this year. Let’s recap some interesting and unusual moments that have had mzansi talking.

The SONA is a serious and significant event that reveals whether or not the government was able to reach the targets set the previous year and gives a glimpse of what they have in store for the upcoming year. However, as the years have gone by, the event has become more exciting as it has been characterised by some interesting fashion choices from the attendees and fascinating moments between our politicians and the media.

Here are some moments that had us either giggling, clutching our pearls or downright scratching our heads in confusion as to what was going on:

Poet Inako’s ‘Cupcake’ reference

Starting off strong we have the topic of the day, as young Eastern Cape-born poet Inako Mateza used a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to playfully introduce the president to the people, and refer to him by his nickname that the people of mzansi named him with; the people’s ‘Cupcake’.

This unexpected but pleasant surprise by the young and fearless poet has had mzansi talking all night long, as they marvel at the audacity it takes to pull off such a stunt on a platform of the SONA’s calibre.

Gayton McKenzie’s Trump rant

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture aka the self-appointed Minister of Happiness Gayton McKenzie used his few minutes on screen to go on an interesting rant about how as investors and funders in South Africa, President Donald Trump and the United States have every right to question our domestic proceedings.

This rant has put Gayton on mzansi’s watch list, as they have labelled him an unpatriotic sellout, and have expressed interest in relieving him of his duties as a minister as his views can pose a danger to South Africa and its people.

Former President Jacob Zuma’s absence

Mkhonto Wesizwe Party leader Jacob Zuma was scheduled to make an appearance at this year’s SONA, after not attending for some time. However, the former president was notably absent, as he was said to be attending to his personal matters involving attending court in Kwa-Zulu Natal for a corruption case.

EFF Spokesperson Thembi Msane talking about Mbuyiseni Ndlozi

Julius Malema and the EFF have been under a microscope in South Africa, as citizens monitor the questionable Mbuyiseni Ndlozi situation. An interesting moment between the party’s spokesperson Thembi Msane and a journalist occurred when Thembi was asked whether Mbuyiseni was still a member of the party or not.

The non-answer given by Thembi has garnered much applause from viewers, as they believe she handled the situation with much class. However, it has also raised questions from others, as they believe a simple yes or no would’ve laid the matter to rest, leading them to draw their own conclusions.

Papa Penny’s drip

One thing about Papa Penny is that the attention will be on him every time he pops out and the SONA was no different. His fearless and daring style captivated the attention of many as he donned a bright blue and gold ensemble that landed him on some ‘worst dressed’ lists across the country.

Also see: Eastern Cape poet Inako Mateza steals people’s heart at SONA