‘I don’t know what I must apologise for’: Gwede Mantashe on ‘sex-for-jobs’ remarks
Mantashe maintains that the ANC Women's League hasn't told him what he should be apologising for
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe responded to criticism over his remarks on alleged "sex-for-jobs" exploitation, stating he is unsure what he should apologize for. Mantashe expressed his confusion during a meeting with the SABC on Wednesday, preceding the 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in Cape Town. He claimed that the ANC Women's League had not clearly communicated to him which aspects of his remarks warranted an apology.
Mantashe defended his comments, asserting that Xhosa linguists agree with him that his statements did not require an apology. He challenged the interpretation of his remarks, emphasizing that the issue should be viewed as individual misconduct rather than a party-wide problem. The ANC Women's League vehemently disagreed with Mantashe's stance, labeling his comments as derogatory and inconsistent with the party's values.
The league's secretary-general, Nokuthula Nqaba, publicly demanded that Mantashe apologize to the journalist who initially questioned him and to the public. The league also urged the ANC to take disciplinary action against Mantashe for his insulting and offensive remarks about women.
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