Cyril Ramaphosa Responds After Grade 7 Pupils Called Him Cupcake, South Africa Divided
- Cyril Ramaphosa was trending after a Grade 7 pupil referred to him by his unofficial name at the Social Justice Summit
- The president of South Africa is often called by his nickname, which was popularised on social media
- President Cyril Ramaphosa took to the stage after a Grade 7 student used the special name at an official event
The president finally let South Africa know how he feels about his nickname at the 7th Social Justice Summit in Cape Town. Cyril Ramaphosa earned a hilarious name following speculations about a pet name from an alleged forbidden lover in 2017.
Source: Getty Images
In a recent video, Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the Social Justice Summit attendees after being called by his nickname at the event. The video of Cyril Ramaphosa's response received mixed reactions.
A TikTok video shared by @lisakanya_ashley_venna shows Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the fact that he was called by his nickname, Cupcake, by a kid in Grade 7. Although Ramaphosa did not repeat the nickname, he acknowledged that the little girl called him Cupcake and revealed that he finally settled on a response. He said when someone calls him Cupcake, he says, "Eat cake". The crowd laughed in response to President Ramaphosa.
Why is Cyril Ramaphosa nicknamed Cupcake?
According to Bona Magazine, when Cyril was the deputy president in 2017, his opponents led a smear campaign and alleged that he had an affair. Cyril reportedly admitted to infidelity to The Sunday Times. A leaked email reportedly showed that the alleged mistress called him Cupcake.
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Source: Getty Images
South Africa jokes about Cyril Ramaphosa's nickname
While some people thought Cyril Ramaphosa's response to his nickname was funny, others had a different perspective. Several online users were convinced that the President's response, "eat cake", was a reference to the Late 18th Century, Queen of France Marie-Antoinette's infamous words, "let them eat cake", when she heard peasants were starving. Online users commented that they were not amused by his clapback.
Watch the video of Cyril talking about his nickname below:
Mel♡kuhlë Skhulilë♡ commented:
"It's not funny, not at all😭😭maybe they don't understand the meaning of eat cake🙌💔"
⭐️F555lo⭐️ said:
"Maybe I’m too woke🧍🏿♀"
3wonga was not impressed:
"You eat cake; it's going over so many South Africans' heads."
t added:
"Hmm, maybe I am too woke, I don’t like that response 🧍🏾♀️😳"
xandra evolution shared:
"Let them eat cake research it, you'll be shocked 😭"
Stifler added:
"He is so friendly and corrupt at the same time 😂"
Musa S Kubayi said:
"People who did literature understand the true meaning of eat cake/ let them eat cake💔"
Ramaphosa's reaction to Bafana Bafana's win has Mzansi smiling
Briefly News previously reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa has warmed hearts across South Africa after a video showing his reaction to Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualification went viral. The clip, posted on 15 October 2025, shows the president celebrating the historic moment while on a plane.
In the video, the president is sitting on a plane, with someone recording him from behind. He was on a video call with a minister who was celebrating Bafana Bafana's win in the FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
His right hand was held up in a fist, showing triumph and happiness at the team's success. He was also laughing, clearly overjoyed by the result.
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Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
