Ramaphosa summons Ndabeni-Abrahams to explain lockdown lunch
President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested a meeting with Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams after a picture of her having lunch with Mduduzi Manana emerged on social media.
The former deputy higher education minister posted the picture of them enjoying lunch in his home on his Instagram account on Sunday.
Manana later deleted the post.
"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," the post was captioned.
The lunch appears to be in contravention of the country’s lockdown regulations, which has led to an outcry among members of the public.
During his visit to the COVID-19 Command Centre at Rand Water in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said he is aware of the pictures.
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Ramaphosa confirmed that he will discuss the impact of the pictures with Ndabeni-Abrahams.
"I have seen the picture of Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams sitting at the 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 added: "We are trying to instil a clear message to all our people that social distancing is important. Let us stay at home, let us not be going around with visitations and if you have to, it must be work-related.”
The president used his own life as an example.
"If you have to it must be work-related. Like now, I have come for a job-related visit to come and inspect what we are doing. After this, I am going straight home.
"I am not going to my sister's home. I am not going to any relative's home. I am going straight home because this is what the lockdown provisions should be all about.”