Thapelo Lekabe

By Thapelo Lekabe

Senior Digital Journalist


WATCH: Mayihlome Tshwete attempts to explain Ramaphosa’s ‘Happy socks’

Tshwete claims the red stripes represent radical economic transformation, but what about the white stripes?


National Treasury spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete was at pains to explain newly elected ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s red and white socks causing a frenzy on Twitter.

Tshwete said Ramaphosa’s “McDonald’s socks” were actually a subliminal message from the governing party urging citizens to get ready for “radical economic transformation”.

In his hilarious 29-second video, Tshwete said the socks were not McDonald’s socks. He claimed the red stripes represented radical economic transformation. The video garnered more than two thousands views by 12pm on Wednesday.

Ramaphosa, who was elected ANC president during the party’s national conference in December, sold his stake in McDonald’s South Africa to a foreign firm after undertaking a review of his business interests.

He was spotted wearing the socks in East London on Wednesday morning, where the ANC’s new leaders were expected to hold their first national executive committee meeting at the ICC Hotel.

The ANC president in 2011 received a 20-year agreement to run 145 McDonald’s restaurants in the country, which meant he owned all McDonald’s assets in South Africa, including property. However, Ramaphosa had to review his business interests following his return to local politics.

Watch the video below:

https://twitter.com/MTshwete/status/951017858192105472

This is what tweeps had to say about the video:

https://twitter.com/Lloyd_G7/status/951026567014174720

https://twitter.com/MTshwete/status/951033966663958528

https://twitter.com/Bongane_Nxele/status/951023780121530368

https://twitter.com/inkuja/status/951026983928057856

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