Striding confidently with his head up and chest out‚ President Cyril Ramaphosa led a group of about 100 people on a morning walk to promote a healthy lifestyle at dawn on Tuesday.
Residents joined Ramaphosa at 5:30am at the Guguletu Sports Centre in Cape Town‚ from where they set off in jovial spirits on a walk of more than 5km to Athlone Stadium.
South Africa’s new president aims to "get South Africa fit" this year and led by example‚ barely breaking a sweat.
"I have heard many South Africans telling me this morning that they want to drop the belly. I walk to reflect on the previous day and think about the day that is ahead‚" he said.
At the end of the walk he took questions from those who had joined him and explained: "I want my tummy to fall so I am going to continue walking."
Asked if there was time to reshuffle his cabinet before the budget speech on Wednesday‚ he chuckled and replied: "Well‚ this is the time to walk‚ to reflect even about cabinet and all that‚ so this gives me time to reflect as well."
During his Sona‚ Ramaphosa said that promoting a healthy lifestyle was one of the major features of his mandate in the coming year.
He is expected to respond to the debate on his state of the nation address in the National Assembly later in the day.
-TimesLIVE