Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on 6 October 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has come under fire after suggesting that South Africans have become overly reliant on the state. His remarks, made during an interview on Sunday ahead of the ANC’s 8 January birthday celebrations, have sparked widespread debate online.
Mantashe argued that the ANC has often downplayed its achievements, citing initiatives such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas), which has enabled underprivileged children to graduate. He also highlighted the party’s role in building a social security system to support the most vulnerable. “We don’t talk about that,” Mantashe toldSABC News.
Comparing South Africa to China, Mantashe claimed the ANC committed a mistake by developing a “passive society” where citizens expect the government to solve problems for them. “The difference is that Chinese people put their skin in the fire. “South Africa has developed a theory of delivery, which means you sit back, you sit in the sun and expect the state to deliver, and people are not involved,” the ANC national chairperson said.
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He said greater citizen participation could help the country reach its potential. Mantashe expressed pride in the ANC’s strides in government since 1994, but seemed to criticise citizens for not making full use of the opportunities provided.
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