Unemployment debate dominate celebrations after Mantashe comments

Posted on January 10, 2026
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Mantashe is under fire for claiming that young South Africans are lazy to look for work.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says the ANC must not forget the unemployed amid the party’s January 8 birthday celebrations.

Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi told ANC supporters at the Moruleng stadium in North West that South Africans are desperate for employment.

“The reality is that unemployment still steals the future of our children. Poverty still humiliates working families.

“The people of this country did not struggle for freedom without dignity, the people of this country did not vote for democracy without jobs.

“The people of this country did not build the African National Congress so that inequality could remain unchanged.”

ANC’s tripartite alliance should produce tangible results

Losi warned that the tripartite alliance — between Cosatu, ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP) — is not a partnership of convenience, saying it should produce tangible results that improve the lives of South Africans.

“We are an alliance that must be accountable to the working class and this alliance, we took decades to build it.

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“But indeed, it can be weakened by divisions by arrogance by forgetting whom we are serving as an alliance.

“Comrades, workers will not forgive failure, the people that are unemployed will not accept excuses, and women in this country will not tolerate insecurity.

“The young people of our country will not wait forever,” she said.

Losi’s remarks come at a time when there is a huge debate in the ANC about its job creation strategy.

ANCYL sidelined

The ANCYL did not give a message of support at the party’s 114th birthday as the leadership would normally do.

This might be due to the reported tensions between the league’s president Collen Malatji and ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe.

READ MORE: ‘Love the ANC, do not lose hope’ – Mbalula

ANCYL first deputy secretary-general, Zama Khanyase responded to The Citizen‘s enquiry about Malatji’s absence from those who gave messages of support at the event.

“The ANC has skipped messages of support in the past from the leagues before their national rallies when there are time constraints and an extended program.

“They instead allow the ANC’s alliance and international guests [to speak],” Khanyase explained.

Mantashe is under fire for claiming that young South Africans are lazy to look for work and are not taking advantage of the opportunities the ANC has created for them.

The ANCYL previously demanded that the president should declare youth unemployment a national crisis.

Malatji on Friday threatened to boycott the January 8 birthday rally if Mantashe does not clarify his comments.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula had also indicated that he would demand an explanation from Mantashe, who was the MC at the birthday rally.

Mbalula said if that fails, he would issue a media release condemning Mantashe’s comments.

Mbalula criticises Malatji

Meanwhile, Mbalula earlier slammed Malatji for being disrespectful towards the ANC elders.

Malatji had made scathing remarks about Mantashe and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“As long as you are not insulting people Collen, you will be defended by me but if you insult people, I will judge you and I will put you on the straight path.

“You must talk politics and lead the revolution, not insult. Everything you said here today is fine, you are the youth league… but other people are worried.

“We must not be worried every time Collen opens his mouth and says something to society. He is leading the youth and he must lead them correctly,” he said.

Watch the video below:

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