South Africans divided over Cyril Ramaphosa’s use of ‘clock it’ to connect with university students
President Cyril Ramaphosa had South Africa talking after he dropped a Gen Z slang term during a formal university address on 14 August 2026. Speaking at an indoor event before a crowd of students, Ramaphosa used the phrase “clock it” while greeting the audience.
He told the crowd that young South Africans had been teaching him new things as he travelled the country. He said other young people had taught him Instagram, and now someone had taught him to “clock it.”
The moment that really landed, though, came when he admitted what happened at home afterwards.
He said his daughter showed him a video of the speech and asked what he had been doing. When he told her he had been “clocking,” she wanted to know who taught him. He said he could not reveal his source.
South Africans flooded the comments section with their thoughts:
@Maeza Mothapo wrote: “He promised us jobs; now he is giving us clock it and people are screaming, we are doomed.”
@Boity x said: “Clocking everything but the GBV and unemployment stats.”
@nonyana__ reacted: “We are easily charmed 😩😂”
@Phoenix 🔥 🇿🇦 added: “The unemployment rate increased… Clock it clock it.”
@TUMI said: “This man’s charisma will be the death of us shem.”
@Katlego🎀 asked: “What are we clocking if we are not working?.”
@Thanda wrote: “This guy will gaslight the youth while they are unemployed, it’s a shame.”