The ANC is discussing the controversial conduct of its national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, who is under fire over his remarks about women, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed on Monday.
Ramaphosa spoke during an ANC lunch with editors in Sandton to commemorate Black Wednesday. On that day, 19 October 1977, the apartheid government banned, among others, The World and Weekend World and detained journalists, including Percy Qoboza, then editor of The World.
Ramaphosa was asked yesterday about Mantashe’s recent remarks towards a female journalist and his conduct towards a female ANC volunteer, as well as his behaviour at a Cosatu congress.
“I am not someone who discusses individuals in public, but the issues you raise about the chairperson are issues that are currently in process to be discussed in the organisation [ANC],” Ramaphosa said.
Mantashe drew criticism after he reacted harshly during an ANC campaign in the North West to a journalist’s question about allegations that a municipal councillor demanded sexual favours from women in exchange for jobs.
He tried to distance the ANC from the alleged conduct and argued that such behaviour should be attributed to individuals rather than the party. In his response he made a reference to women’s genitalia.
“The women’s league came out, and a number of ANC leaders, as well as [other] leaders. So it is a matter we will discuss,” Ramaphosa said.
The ANC Women’s League issued a statement on Sunday demanding that Mantashe apologise to the journalist and the public. The league also called on the ANC to reprimand him and take disciplinary action against him over what it described as Mantashe’s “repeated insults and attacks on women”.
Mayoral candidates
A journalist confronted Ramaphosa about the ANC’s decision not to announce its mayoral candidates before the municipal election, which makes public debates and the media’s efforts to hold potential mayors accountable on service delivery more difficult.
Ramaphosa defended the decision: “We decided what we did in the past, it worked well… (to) first decide after the election who we will appoint as mayor… It differs from what other parties do, but we stick to the approach we have always followed.”
The party has already interviewed potential candidates, and journalists can interview all those on the shortlist, Ramaphosa said.
The ANC had initially planned to announce its candidates, but the decision was suddenly reversed. Daily Maverick reported that the ANC’s national executive committee was concerned that announcing its preferences would provoke resistance among supporters of unsuccessful candidates and could harm the party’s election campaign.
Die Papier approached Mantashe for comment. His comment will be updated once received.
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