ActionSA President Herman Mashaba has reacted angrily to statements made by Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe, who urged South Africans to be proactive in pursuing work instead of waiting for the government to give jobs. A public debate has been sparked as a result of the remarks, particularly among groups that are struggling with poverty and rising unemployment rates.
During a recent engagement, Mantashe made the statement that South Africans should not rely on the state but rather go out and look for work. This statement was met with immediate criticism from opposition parties and civil society organisations. Some people believe that the comments do not take into account the structural problems that are currently confronting the economy as well as the limited number of jobs that are available.
In response to the minister’s comments, Mashaba broke his silence and accused Mantashe of insulting South Africans who are financially struggling on multiple occasions. He raised the question of whether or not such remarks are now considered to be official policy of the African National Congress. He pointed out that the ruling party has been in power for more than thirty years, and as a result, they are unable to shift blame onto ordinary citizens.
Minister @GwedeMantashe1 unrelenting on his personal mission to insult poor and unemployed South Africans. I wonder whether this is an official ANC policy or not.
The ANC government is too a large part responsible for this state of unemployment in South Africa:
1. Pursuing failed… https://t.co/J9Ygb6A1lS— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) January 5, 2026
The ANC government, according to Mashaba, bears a significant amount of responsibility for the current state of unemployment. He alluded to what he regarded as failing and detrimental economic policies, claiming workers were misled for years with promises of unrealistic pay that were not supported by productivity or sustainable growth.
He went on to criticise the lack of coherent economic policy that has been implemented over the course of the past three decades, arguing that inconsistency and poor planning have negatively impacted investor confidence and slowed the creation of new jobs. According to Mashaba, the African National Congress (ANC) has been accused of allowing corruption and the looting of state resources to become commonplace, thereby depriving the economy of funds that could have been used to support development and employment.
A further significant concern that Mashaba brought up was the deployment of cadres. He stated that appointments made on the basis of political loyalty rather than competence have resulted in the weakening of state institutions, which has led to inefficiency, the collapse of key institutions, and less than satisfactory service delivery.
In addition, Mashaba said that the current system has resulted in the formation of a tiny group of politically connected oligarchs who are more concerned with their own self-enrichment and opulent lifestyles than they are with the creation of jobs and the expansion of possibilities for ordinary South Africans.
While conceding that individual effort is vital, Mashaba stated that it is unjust and dishonest for government leaders to encourage people to pursue jobs when the economic environment has failed to provide enough employment prospects. He highlighted that the purpose of government should be to create an enabling climate where businesses can expand, investments can thrive, and sustainable jobs can be produced.
The exchange has added to the growing political pressure on the ANC as unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges, with opposition parties increasingly accusing the government of shifting responsibility onto struggling citizens rather than addressing the root causes of the crisis.