‎Mantashe Fires Back at Vote-Buying Claims: “We Are Servicing Society”‎

‎Mantashe Fires Back at Vote-Buying Claims: “We Are Servicing Society”

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‎ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe has defended his remarks during a door-to-door campaign in Freedom Park, Johannesburg, after criticism that he was using government grants and RDP housing to pressure voters to support the ANC.

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‎During the campaign, Mantashe highlighted the ANC government's role in introducing social programmes such as RDP housing, the Child Support Grant, free schooling and student financial assistance.

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‎Mantashe rejected accusations that invoking these benefits amounted to vote-buying or emotional blackmail. He argued that the ANC was reminding communities of policies implemented during its years in government rather than attempting to purchase their votes.

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‎“We are servicing society,” Mantashe argued, distinguishing government service delivery from electoral vote-buying.

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‎Mantashe said the Child Support Grant was introduced as part of efforts to address poverty and malnutrition, while housing programmes were aimed at improving living conditions for disadvantaged South Africans following the end of apartheid.

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‎He maintained that voters have every right to criticise the ANC and choose another political party, but argued that the party's achievements should not be ignored because of allegations of corruption and governance failures.

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‎The ANC chairperson also defended the broader role of the welfare state, arguing that government assistance remains necessary to address poverty, inequality and gaps created by the market. At the same time, he said job creation remains an important campaign priority requiring cooperation between government and the private sector.

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‎Mantashe also addressed criticism of the ANC's candidate nomination process ahead of the local government elections. He rejected suggestions that the party was in chaos, arguing that only a limited number of municipalities were affected and that other political parties had also experienced difficulties.

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‎He said the ANC would challenge the nomination dispute in the Electoral Court, insisting that responsibility should only be assigned after all the facts and evidence have been properly established.

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‎The exchange comes as political parties intensify their campaigns, with voters increasingly scrutinising both government performance and the promises being made ahead of the elections.

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‎Mantashe's comments have reignited a broader political debate: should governing parties remind voters about social benefits they delivered, or can such reminders cross the line into electoral pressure?

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‎#GwedeMantashe #ANC #AfricanNationalCongress #FreedomPark #RDPHouses #ChildSupportGrant #VoteBuying #SouthAfricanPolitics #LocalGovernmentElections #ANC2026 #ElectionCampaign #ServiceDelivery #SouthAfrica #PoliticsSA

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‎Gwede Mantashe, ANC, African National Congress, Freedom Park, ANC campaign, RDP housing, RDP houses, child support grant, social grants South Africa, vote buying, emotional blackmail, ANC achievements, ANC government, service delivery, welfare state, job creation South Africa, ANC elections, local government elections, Electoral Court, IEC, South African politics, political news South Africa, election campaign, ANC latest news, Gwede Mantashe latest, South Africa elections

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