A video featuring ANC national chairman Gwede Mantashe questioning a grandmother in Freedom Park about her grandchildren’s child support grants has sparked fresh controversy, reigniting heated debates about welfare funding and political accountability.
The footage, produced by Newzroom Afrika, captures Mantashe seated with the elderly woman as he inquires about the child support grant status of her grandchildren. When she confirms that she receives the grant, he presses further: “Who is providing them with that?” The clip quickly went viral, drawing widespread reactions.
Many viewers interpreted Mantashe’s line of questioning as an effort to underscore that the ANC-led government was responsible for initiating and managing these funds. Others, however, pushed back strongly, insisting that the money comes from taxpayers—not from the ANC itself.
The child support grant is a cornerstone of South Africa’s social welfare system. Eligible caregivers receive R580 per month per child, benefiting close to thirteen million children nationwide. The funding is derived from taxes paid by working South Africans, which feed into the national budget and are distributed through SASSA.
Mantashe has previously raised the issue of grants during his engagements with voters. He has often highlighted the ANC government’s role in providing social subsidies, free education, and food programs as evidence of its commitment to supporting the poor. He frequently argues that beneficiaries should not claim the party has done nothing while receiving these monthly benefits.
Social media reactions were sharply polarized. Some commenters felt Mantashe’s question implied that the ANC was personally distributing the funds. “Our taxes are not ANC money,” one user posted. Others criticized the government for failing to create jobs through grant financing rather than relying on welfare as a primary support mechanism.
Supporters of Mantashe argue that he was merely acknowledging a legitimate achievement of the administration. They contend that without the grant, millions of households—particularly in high-unemployment areas like townships and informal settlements—would face even greater hardship.
The Freedom Park visit appears to have been a routine community engagement captured on camera. Mantashe, who also serves as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, is among the ANC’s most vocal leaders on social welfare and service delivery issues.
The footage has reignited an ongoing debate about who should bear the cost of the subsidies that sustain so many families. How voters perceive the exchange could influence public opinion ahead of future elections, as the conversation about welfare funding and government accountability continues to unfold. The incident underscores the deep divisions in public perceptions of social grants and political responsibility.