Pyramids FC coach Rulani Mokwena has revealed how an unexpected meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa unfolded in Cairo, Egypt, last week, addressing suggestions that the head of state had been briefed beforehand.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor was in attendance as Bafana Bafana secured a 1-0 victory over Egypt in an international friendly.
During the halftime break, he was filmed meeting Ramaphosa, an encounter he later described as a moment he would carry with him for a lifetime. The President appeared familiar with Mokwena’s work at Pyramids, prompting speculation that his team had briefed him ahead of their meeting.
Speaking to South African Football Journalists’ Association [SAFJA] members during a virtual session on Thursday, Mokwena explained that the encounter had come about unexpectedly. He said a club official encouraged him to meet Ramaphosa during the halftime break.
“IT WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE”: RULANI MOKWENA
“The opportunity to meet the number one statesman was incredibly humbling,” he explained. “It was a great privilege, and I know a lot of people think or say that he was actually prepared by somebody before meeting me.
“But I actually caught him by surprise. They called me into one of the rooms. It was actually halftime. He had gone to the bathroom, and I was encouraged by one of the guys from Pyramids, Dr Moustapha [Tantawy], to go and meet the President. I felt greatly privileged and honoured, and I want to thank him for his kind words.”
Meanwhile, Mokwena stretched his unbeaten run in Egypt after guiding Pyramids FC to a 3-2 victory over Olympic El Qanah FC in the League Cup on Wednesday. The win saw him continue a 100% record – eight wins out of eight in all competitions this season.
He joined the 2025 African champions before the start of the 2026/27 Egyptian Premier League season. His move to Egypt came after leaving ambitious Libyan giants Al-Ittihad Tripoli.
Pyramids, currently at the top of the table, are back in action on Monday 12 October when they take on Ceramica Cleopatra in a League match. They have amassed 15 points from their first five matches of the season and will be hoping to maintain the positive start.
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