President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Monday night sparked an immediate flood of reaction across social media, with South Africans sharply divided over his refusal to step down following the Constitutional Court ruling linked to the Phala Phala scandal.
Speaking from the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Ramaphosa declared: “I will not resign,” insisting he would remain in office and continue serving South Africans despite mounting political pressure.
Within minutes of the televised address ending, Facebook, X and other platforms erupted with criticism, sarcasm, frustration and support.
One social media user, Jeanette Auret, questioned the President’s remarks about public service, writing: “The laughable part in his speech was: ‘I will continue to serve the people?’ Serve us how exactly? More like self-serving.”
Another user, Jill Hagley, said many South Africans had once believed Ramaphosa represented a “new dawn” after the Jacob Zuma era.
“South Africans were so excited at the prospect of a ‘new dawn’ after the dismal state capture years under Zuma. Well he is no different,” she commented.
Several users accused the President of employing so-called “Stalingrad tactics” — a term commonly used in South African politics to describe lengthy legal delays aimed at avoiding accountability.
“Taking the Zuma route,” one commenter wrote, while another claimed Ramaphosa was attempting to delay impeachment proceedings through legal reviews.
Others mocked the President over the foreign currency stolen from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in 2020.
“He’s just allowed us all to hide money under our couches,” one user joked.
But not all reactions were negative.
Some South Africans defended the President, arguing that the Constitutional Court judgment did not find him guilty of wrongdoing and that he was entitled to challenge the independent panel’s findings in court.
“Let the process unfold, and let him prove his innocence or the opposition prove his guilt,” wrote Christo Goodman.
Another user, Vuyo Kini, pointed out that Ramaphosa was not challenging the Constitutional Court itself, but rather the Section 89 panel report.
“The ConCourt said he can do that because it is within his constitutional rights,” the comment read.
In his national address, Ramaphosa insisted resigning now would undermine constitutional processes and efforts to rebuild state institutions weakened during the State Capture era.
“To resign now would be to give in to those who seek to reverse the renewal of our society, the rebuilding of our institutions and the prosecution of corruption,” he said.
The President also reaffirmed his commitment to fighting organised crime, recovering stolen state funds and strengthening democratic institutions.
The controversy centres on a burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in February 2020, during which large amounts of undeclared foreign currency were allegedly stolen.
Former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser later laid criminal complaints against the President, accusing him of concealing the theft and violating several laws.
An independent parliamentary panel later found there was prima facie evidence suggesting Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct and violated the Constitution.
However, Parliament voted in December 2022 against proceeding with impeachment processes.
The Economic Freedom Fighters challenged that decision in court, leading to last week’s Constitutional Court ruling that set aside Parliament’s earlier vote and ordered the matter to proceed to an impeachment committee.
Ramaphosa has since confirmed he will seek a judicial review of the independent panel’s report.
Despite the growing backlash online, the President made it clear he has no intention of leaving office.
“I will remain in your service,” he said.
