Chicken stock cubes. These are literally what DA leader Mmusi Maimane said would calm President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nerves and see him agreeing to a pre-election debate. Maimane said this as he reacted to the ANC’s dismissal of the debate between the two leaders.

The idea of the debate was sparked by the SABC’s rebroadcast on Sunday of the 1994 pre-election debate between former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk. The screening sparked conversations on social media about the current state of South Africa, prompting some to call for a debate between Ramaphosa and Maimane.

While the ruling ANC did not immediately respond to calls from the public for a debate, Maimane said he would be more than willing to take on the president.

ANC elections head Fikile Mbalula released a statement on Wednesday, in which he said the party would not be “cajoled” into a debate.

Maimane’s chicken stock cubes elicited mixed reactions. Some thought his post was funny, while others accused him of using Ramaphosa's name to campaign for the DA.