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There are many things – be it the good, the bad or the utterly ridiculous – that make South Africa one of the most unique countries to live in. One of them being those humanising moments when President Cyril Ramaphosa becomes the amusing Uncle Cyril.

That’s right, folks, right after a serious family meeting that took place on Friday evening, Uncle Cyril had another TV blooper after his national address.

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Following the heartfelt speech about the ICJ’s ruling in favour of South Africa’s request to impose emergency measures against Israel over the war in Gaza, the livestream did not cut off as expected and continued streaming for a little while longer.

Before ending with his typical greeting of ‘I thank you’, Ramaphosa said:

‘We will not waiver in our commitment to the Palestinian people and their quest for self-determination. Our own painful history obliges us to do no less. We thank the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for upholding its role of achieving justice, promoting peace, preventing genocide and holding those guilty of genocide accountable.’

In a candid moment captured on camera, the tired uncle asked the cameraman ‘Can I go home now?’ before taking off his mic.

Take a look: 

@faraazmahomed I dont know what it is about him but our President is the coolest from them all. He just has this vibe. 😎😂 #SAMA28 #faraazmahomed #president #cyrilramaphosa #cyril #ramaphosa #canigohomenow #icjupdate #icjcourtsouthafrica #southafricatiktok ♬ original sound – Faraaz Mahomed

The clip had South Africans giggling all weekend, with TikTok users blowing up the comment section, calling him ‘Cupcake’ and commenting on Uncle Cyril’s relatability:

‘Cupcake is so unserious’ – Meagan

‘He’s so real for “can I go home now”‘ – Wilma💞

‘It’s how we all relate to Cupcake’ – Kimberly Dube

‘Cupcake is me after attending 1 lecture’ – Katlego.Kekana

‘Nah but to be honest, everybody wants to go home when they’ve finished their work for the day 🤣😭 It’s okay cupcake, go rest’ – Chleo

‘”Can I go home now” is the realest thing anyone has said alive 😭’ – sands🍃🫀

This latest blooper follows another live blunder that occurred after a family meeting that took place just last month.

In widely shared clips, Uncle Cyril was heard chastising a TV crew member for moving and disturbing him, telling them to stand like a statue.

‘Now, you kept on moving, disturbing me. When you stand there, you must be a statue,’ he could be heard saying.

He continued: ‘You were dancing, actually.’

Regardless of your political stance, your view of the state of the country and your opinions on the corruptness of the government, there’s no denying that we can all relate to Uncle Cyril, in more ways than one.

Beyond a giggle or three, Ramaphosa’s bloopers remind us that beneath the titles and responsibilities, leaders are just like us: sometimes tired, sometimes bored and always a little bit eager to get home, slip into something comfier and call it a day.

So, the next time you’re stuck in a meeting, channelling your inner ‘Cupcake’, maybe, just maybe, double-check if your mic is off before planning your exit.

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Picture: @AthiGelebe / X

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