South African President Ramaphosa visits his pen pal at school
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited a young child at her school in the Eastern Cape after she sent him a touching letter earlier this week.
As previously reported by PANA, 11-year-old Daisy Ngedla’s letter asking Ramaphosa he was friends with world statesman Nelson Mandela, landed on his desk and touched his heart.
Ramaphosa wrote a reply saying “yes, he was a friend, a father and a teacher to me and to many other people”.
He told the pupil that Mandela loved children “and I am sure he would have loved to have met a young lady as gracious as you”. “I am trying my best to make South Africa a better place for our children and our children's children – and I am so pleased I can count on you to help me,” he concluded.
On Friday, Ramaphosa who was on an official visit to Buffalo City surprised the child with a visit to her school.
He invited Ngedla to the front of her class and stressed the importance of keeping the environment clean for children and future generations.
Ironically, Ramaphosa was Mandela’s first choice to succeed him as South Africa’s first democratically elected leader. However, Thabo Mbeki was nominated as the leader of the ruling African National Congress and his bitter feud with Jacob Zuma severely damaged the credibility of the country.
-0- PANA CU/AR 9Mar2019
