"The Circus Is Back in Town," Proteas Cricket Legend Herschelle Gibbs Slams SONA 2026

• Proteas legend Herschelle Gibbs publicly criticised SONA 2026, capturing South Africans’ frustration online.
• Social media reactions showed widespread disappointment in government performance ahead of the annual address
• Gibbs is not the first sports figure to add his voice to the national debate on political accountability.

As the State of the Nation Address (SONA) is set to be held this Thursday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa will speak to citizens at 7 pm from Parliament in Cape Town. Meanwhile, more South Africans continue to express scepticism.

Proteas cricket legend Herschelle Gibbs made his annoyance known with a bold tweet, reflecting the growing frustration at the government. Gibbs is a former South African international cricketer and one of the most naturally gifted batsmen the country has produced. He played for the Proteas from 1996 to 2010 across all formats: Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20S.

Gibbs domestic and franchise cricket

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Beyond international cricket, Gibbs also played domestic and franchise cricket in England for Glamorgan and Yorkshire, as well as in T20 leagues around the world, showcasing his aggressive batting style in various formats. In Test cricket, he scored 6 167 runs at an average of 41.95, including 14 centuries, with a high score of 228. In One-Day Internationals, he made 8 094 runs at 36.13, with 21 hundreds and a top score of 175. He also represented South Africa in 23 T20 Internationals, scoring 400 runs with a top score of 90.

Gibbs was the first player ever to hit six sixes in a single over in international cricket, achieving the feat during the 2007 Cricket World Cup match against the Netherlands. He also scored a career-best 175 off 111 balls in the legendary 2006 ODI chase of 434 against Australia, helping South Africa complete what was then the highest successful run chase in ODI history.

@hershybru:

''The circus is back in town #SONA2026.''

His bold take resonated with South Africans online, who echoed his sentiments:

@rhymeswithwhale:

''People who still watch SONA must have a high pain tolerance.''

@GeraldGwb:

''The sad thing is that it’s all the same acts and the same clowns 🤡. Lots of clowns, haha.''

@jhvn27:

''The level of incompetence that will be on show is astonishing, like in the great MJs of sports level of incompetence.''

@therealdevos17:

''Jip en al die clowns het opgedaag.''

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@BlackAlmo:

''Cruel forcing animals to dress up and perform tricks.''

Sports figures join public criticism of SONA

On Wednesday, sports broadcaster Robert Marawa also weighed in on the SONA when he retweeted a post showing Ramaphosa delivering the address in 2020 with a promise that has yet to be fulfilled six years later. From the reactions of these two vocal sports figures online, it is evident that South Africans are increasingly dissatisfied with the government’s performance in recent years.

Marawa makes a cheeky comment about Donald Trump

Briefly News previously reported that sports broadcaster Robert Marawa, following Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, shared a cheeky post on X, seemingly aiming at US President Donald Trump and the group of 49 Afrikaner refugees who relocated to America earlier this year.

Marawa’s post was widely read as a light-hearted jab, mocking the irony that South Africans are now preparing to travel to the United States for football’s biggest event.

Source: Briefly News