Mbalula threatens to reprimand Mantashe over youth unemployment remarks
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has called on the party's national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, to clarify his controversial remarks on youth unemployment.
Mantashe has come under fire after he said unemployed people should stop “basking in the sun” and start applying for opportunities created by the ANC government.
The commentswere interpreted as Mantashe saying unemployed youth are lazy and are overly dependent on the state.
"This is not a joking matter; it's a serious matter. It must be clarified properly. If Gwede was misquoted, he must get to the media in the coming week and clarify himself,” Mbalula said at the ANCYL Peter Mokaba Memorial Lecture in Mogwase, near Rustenburg, on Friday.
"If he does not clarify himself, I will issue a statement on behalf of the ANC to reprimand him.
"If those are the views, they cannot be the views of the National Chair of the African National Congress,” Mbalula said.
ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji echoed Mbalula’s sentiments, describing the remarks as “irresponsible” and "detached from reality”.
Mbalula's keynote address came ahead of the party's January 8 Statement on Saturday.
