My walk with the president
YOU’s Marelize Potgieter was among the throngs who joined the jubilant new president on a healthy walk in Cape Town
THE alarm goes off at 3.10 on a Wednesday morning. For a second I can’t remember why I have to get up so early but then it comes back to me: I have an all-important appointment with the president. Cyril Ramaphosa himself took to Twitter recently to invite South Africans to join him on his walk from Khayelitsha to Mitchell’s Plain, adding the hilarious hashtag #tummymustfall. And if the president can find the time to pound the pavements before getting down to the business of running the country, well, who am I to wimp out? I down a cup of coffee in the car on the way to the meeting spot – Lookout Hill in Khayelitsha – and a small crowd has already gathered by the time I get there. It’s still pitch dark and a mean little autumn wind is blowing as we wait for the country’s No 1 citizen to arrive. The president’s enjoyment of exercise is well documented. He was snapped in stripy Where’s Wally-like socks on a beachfront stroll in East London in January a few weeks after clinching the ANC presidency.
And last month, just before being elected SA’s new commander-in-chief, he and former finance minister Trevor Manuel were spotted running on the Sea Point promenade in Cape Town.
Selfies of joggers and walkers alongside a grinning Ramaphosa did the rounds on the internet – and soon afterwards the president announced he’d be doing a series of walks in the Mother City.
Join me, he urged. Let’s get healthy together. First he was in Gugulethu, today it’s the turn of Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain.
And here I am, all set to sweat it out with Cyril.
People from across Cape Town have come out, including 11-year-old Frederick Parry of Durbanville, who’s here with his parents, Alan and Alsona, brother Mathys (10) and sister Gwyneth (6).
“I hope I’ll be able to say hello to him,” Frederick says.
Yet as the clock ticks closer to the starting time of 5am it seems young Frederick might be disappointed. The crowd has swollen to more than 100 people and everyone wants to say hi to the country’s new leader – the man credited with breathing new life into the land.
ACONVOY of four black cars finally approaches. Doors open and out of one vehicle steps Ramaphosa in a black ANC tracksuit and hat and Nike sneakers. Cellphones flash and video cameras roll as everyone cranes to get a better look at him.
One woman is decidedly less starstruck though. “Let’s go,” she says, clearly tired of standing around. “I came to get my walk in.”
Ramaphosa has the same idea and strides out, focusing on the road ahead. In the distance I can see Alan hoisting little Gwyneth on his shoulders.
The day breaks softly and the sky turns a pinkish colour.
An elderly woman in a purple dressing gown stares at the spectacle from the safety of her front door. Ramaphosa spots her and asks, “Why don’t you come and walk with us?” “I’m a bit sick,” she replies. He makes his way over and they chat for a few minutes. She’s a little overwhelmed afterwards. “What an honour to shake his hand,” she says.
Soon after that more brave souls go up to Ramaphosa to introduce themselves and ask for a selfie – and the president agrees to almost every request.
One walker, Nomonde Ngqula, says everything about this new president makes her excited. “You can see it in his eyes. The way in which he listens, his sense of humour. He has respect for people and wants to make things better.”
I tell her I’d really like to speak to him. “Don’t worry. He’ll talk to you. He’s a very humble man.”
I try to move strategically closer but just as I’m about to worm my way in I collide with a muscle-bound bodyguard.
BODYGUARDS have formed a wall around the president. At first you don’t notice them because they’re wearing ordinary clothes – but if you look closely you can see the earpieces from the devices they use to communicate with one another.
I decide to change my strategy and walk around the group. I break out my best smile and look Ramaphosa directly in the eye, but I don’t think I have a hope in hell of attracting his attention.
I’m dumbfounded when he suddenly smiles back and calls me over. At first his security team won’t hear of it but the president continues to call me.
I can’t believe my luck when I slip in beside him as he strides along, beaming from ear to ear.
He’s still chatting to a young woman about life in her community and as I listen to them I start to panic. What on earth am I going to say to him?
I have an entire typed list of questions for him in my bag but I can’t get to it while I’m walking so briskly next to the perky president.
Then he turns around and asks me where I’m from. “From YOU,” I reply.
“You guys wrote a story about me,” he replies. “Yes, I read it – I thought it was really well written. My wife brought it to me and she also thought it was very well written.”
I can hardly believe it. The president read our story! And enjoyed it!
As I’m trying to process this, a member of the security team taps me on the shoulder. My time is clearly over but I try to ignore him – and then another one pulls my arm.
Fortunately there’s a newfound camaraderie between me and the president and he motions for them to leave me alone.
“Thank you, Mr President,” I say. “I’m very glad you liked the story we did.
“How does it feel to suddenly be treated like a celebrity?” I ask, emboldened.
He chuckles. “I don’t know about being a celebrity. It’s very nice to walk with the people and to engage with them in such a way.”
Again I feel that hand pulling on my shoulder and I realise I shouldn’t push my luck. “Thank you, Mr President. It was wonderful meeting you.”
“You too,” he replies. “And thank you.”
NOMONDE bounds up. “I see you had a chat with him,” she says. “You know, he really is a man with a heart for the people. I can just see it in him.” We reach the Mitchell’s Plain civic centre where the route stops and more supporters have gathered.
Ramaphosa climbs on top of the UDF statue next to the building. “Amandla!” he shouts. “Awethu!” the crowd yells back. “Thank you to everyone who came today,” he says. “It was wonderful to walk with all of you. I met so many people.”
On his way back to the car the bodyguards form a wall around him again – but he breaks free for one last fan selfie, one final handshake before the car swallows him up.
As he drives off you can see his hand waving goodbye until he disappears into the rush-hour traffic.