Cape Town – South African Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has reportedly claimed that a foreign-funded campaign is creating a negative narrative around him in order to cause a rift between him and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This came as Mantashe was rumoured to be vying for the ruling party’s second-highest position: deputy president.
According to Times Live, he has, however, come out and denied the claims, saying that the position of deputy president required someone “younger and more energetic”.
“Anybody will know I do not want to be the deputy president. I think the deputy president must be a younger and more energetic person who is also considered for succession. I am old,” the report quoted Mantashe as saying.
His remarks came as the battle for the top six positions in the ANC intensified.
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A report by The Citizen said that Mantashe did not have the support of lobbyists within Ramaphosa’s camp, whose preferred candidates were Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, and ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.
Quoting the City Press, the report said that Mantashe slammed the media research institutions and civil society groups, saying they were out on a mission to make him look bad because of the way he was running his department and his perceived lack of interest in renewable energy.
“Many journalists and editors have created a picture of an isolated Gwede Mantashe. I’m running [the department of] mineral resources and energy. I’m not running renewable energy. I’m running mineral resources and energy,” Mantashe said.
His claims of being under attack were met with mixed emotions on Twitter, with some laughing it off and some standing with him.
Take a look at some of the Twitter reactions below:
Gwede Mantashe honestly believes that there is some international people who want to topple him ?. The ego of the tiger is massive hey!
— Lethabo (@Cheetahplains) January 23, 2022
Bathi Gwede Mantashe is worried about his future as he fell out of love with Thumamina gang. pic.twitter.com/7N5UPSd4hq
— Battalion 54 (@54Battalion) January 25, 2022
Don’t let Lindiwe Sisulu, Zweli Mkhize, Gwede Mantashe distract you from electing real and selfless leaders. We are approaching the conference, they will start to act as revolutionaries and preach RET policies while they kept quiet and never defended SG and other comrades ?
— Thabiso Ngcobo (@Thabiso47272647) January 23, 2022
If you honestly believe that those folks will just back down after investing Billions of dollars to get their dirty hands on this coal then you have your head up your buttocks.
Chairman @GwedeMantashe1 siyabazi, I can point out a few if you’re interested in identifying them.
— H.M Smith (@Stoute_SA) January 23, 2022
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
