Is Cyril cut from the same cloth . . .
… or did he just hope we’d make the connection when he wore a Madiba shirt recently, asks Suthentira Govender
If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And if you don’t have it … borrow it. When President Cyril Ramaphosa wore a flamboyant black and white shirt at a recent “family meeting” to announce SA’s move to lockdown level 2, it wasn’t the easing of restrictions that caused comment as much as his bold attire.
Ramaphosa’s new look immediately trended on social media. Many ridiculed him for his choice of shirt and accused him of trying to emulate Nelson Mandela’s iconic look to convince South Africans to vaccinate.
The loose-fitting, patterned shirt had been popularised by Mandela, who was often seen at formal affairs in his casual look.
“My kids laughed when they saw him with this shirt. They asked me what was wrong with Cyril, why is he trying so hard to look like Mandela?” said one Twitter user after Ramaphosa’s television appearance.
One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane also jumped on the bandwagon, jokingly saying he could no longer wear his favourite shirt as it bore a resemblance to the president’s. Sonwabile Ndamase, the designer of the Madiba shirt, is not fazed by critics of the Ramaphosa look.
“I’ve made quite a number of shirts for him. He has worn the shirt to previous events. I think it’s just now that people took notice of it.
“I think he was making a statement for the start of Heritage Month.”
Ndamase said Ramaphosa became familiar with his work through their engagements over the years.
“His secretary called me about three years ago. I had to go and take his measurements. I went to the headquarters of the ANC where he gave me about 30 minutes of his time to discuss what he wanted. He told me I needed to deliver those shirts with immediate effect.
“The president went for more neutral shirts, more along the lines of the Madiba shirts. I did incorporate a bit of his Venda background with the pink on the pockets of the shirt he wore when he addressed South Africans.”
The presidency preferred not to comment.
For Ndamase, the fact that his designs have again become a talking point is a positive development because it stimulates conversations about origins, local design and heritage.
“I saw the comments on social media and laughed. “One thing that I love about my country, which I will never trade for anything, is that in any adversity there is always a lining of humour.
“If you are a sensitive person, then you don’t belong to this country. You can’t take these things personally but with a pinch of salt.
“Some young people said that when they saw the president dressed in that shirt it signified the end of Covid-19 … it symbolised freedom.
“Dressing Afrocentric has got a way of teaching us that our roots are very important. We haven’t yet moved away from the tree of origin. We are still holding onto who we are as Africans.
“Africanism has a way of making people feel at ease with themselves and that’s how the president came across, not tense but just relaxed in his attire.”
Durban-based designer Haroun Hansrot agreed that Ramaphosa’s choice of shirt for the broadcast was a positive move.
“To say that he surprised us all with his attire is an understatement! His relaxed look and attitude was reassuring to the South African public. It conveyed his message on the relaxing of the lockdown measures much better.
“His formal attire in previous family meetings reinforced the urgency and seriousness of the Covid situation.
“The message could also be that he is adopting the Madiba look and making himself more amenable and approachable to the people of South Africa,” said Hansrot.
Ndamase has been nominated for a Most Influential People of African Descent award, to be held virtually next month.
Each year 100 outstanding personalities and high achievers of African descent around the world are recognised for their positive contributions to the world.
Ndamase’s Madiba shirts are as popular as ever, with thousands being sold since Mandela’s death in 2013.
The next big question is: now that Ramaphosa has the Mandela shirt, when can we expect to see the Mandela shuffle?