“The Skelm Is Happy”: Mzansi Reacts As Ramokgopa Gets Down to Choir’s “Wena Skelema” Ahead of SONA

• Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was seen dancing outside Cape Town City Hall before SONA as the Parliamentary Choir performed for the public
• The performance happened hours before President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation and addressed ongoing plans to stabilise South Africa’s electricity supply
• TikTok users linked the song’s meaning to corruption concerns and ongoing frustration over rising electricity tariffs in the country

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was spotted dancing outside Cape Town City Hall in Cape Town on Thursday, 12 February 2026, just hours before President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address.

The senior ANC leader joined the Parliamentary Choir of RSA as they performed for members of the public.

The performance happened as Members of Parliament made their way into the venue. Ramokgopa, who leads the country’s electricity portfolio during a period of power reforms and high tariffs, appeared to be in good spirits.

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The performance came as many South Africans continue to struggle with the cost of electricity, despite load shedding easing in many parts of the country.

Choir performance grabs attention

The Parliamentary Choir of RSA sang Wena Skelema. The title comes from the Afrikaans word 'skelm', which means crook. South Africans have linked the song to the African National Congress (ANC) as corruption scandals continue to haunt the governing party.

South Africa’s electricity crisis has dominated political debate for years. Under Ramokgopa’s watch, load shedding has eased compared to the dark days of 2023 and 2024. But relief from blackouts has not meant relief from high bills. NERSA approved an 8.76% electricity tariff hike starting from April this year. An 8.83% tariff hike will follow from April 2027

SONA promises under the spotlight

During the State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa pointed to progress in stabilising generation capacity and said further work should be done to strengthen transmission infrastructure.

The clip was shared on TikTok by @gozatv. Many users debated whether the minister should have been celebrating.

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Watch the clip below:

Mzansi weighs in on the performance

Briefly News has compiled comments from the clip.

@Moloialbert commented:

“He's dancing for the song that says ‘Wena Skelm.’🤣 The skelm is so happy.🤣”

@Neil Schoeman312 said:

“He is dancing when electricity has become unaffordable.”

@mcgain2 noted:

“He is the minister of fun.😂”

@mafa wrote:

“He is dancing, and we are paying too much for electricity.”

@BraB commented:

“😂😅The song choice is 120% relevant to the event.😅😂”

@Ash M - Psychologist said:

“He is allowed to dance. He had guaranteed us electricity.😂”

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Source: Briefly News