Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe delivered a pointed warning to his cabinet colleagues Thursday, urging them to avoid financial misconduct and stick to their official salaries or risk facing consequences from embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Speaking at the memorial service for former Deputy President David Mabuza in Mpumalanga, Mantashe emphasized the importance of ethical conduct among government officials. “As a cadre, you must be ethical,” he declared to the gathering. “You must not be elected and later enrich yourself with money that does not belong to you.”
The minister’s remarks carried particular weight given recent corruption allegations surrounding several cabinet members. He warned that ministers who stray from their legitimate income face serious consequences.
“Your only money is called a salary,” Mantashe stated bluntly. “If you take money that is not your salary, you are not ethical, you will be like this minister who is in trouble now, Minister Senzo Mchunu.”
Using the Police Minister as a cautionary example, Mantashe joked that wrongdoers would need to be “sent to Mchunu” in his role as political custodian of policing. “You’ll have to meet Mchunu. Once you take money that is not your salary, put it in your pockets, you’ll meet Mchunu,” he said.
The reference to Mchunu comes amid explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The provincial commissioner has accused high-ranking officials, including Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, of involvement with criminal syndicates backed by drug cartels and influential business interests.
Mkhwanazi’s allegations include claims that Mchunu interfered politically within the South African Police Service. The Police Minister has denied these allegations.
Adding to the controversy, Mchunu this week reversed his earlier denial of knowing businessman Brown Mogotsi. Four months after telling Parliament’s Police Portfolio Committee “I don’t know this person,” Mchunu now acknowledges knowing Mogotsi, describing him as “only a comrade.”
In March, Mchunu had categorically denied any familiarity with Mogotsi. He claimed he was shown a photograph after reports emerged of someone falsely presenting themselves as close to him, insisting he did not recognize the individual.
The mounting pressure has prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to schedule a national address for Sunday at 7pm. The televised “family meeting” is expected to address the allegations and provide clarity on Mkhwanazi’s explosive claims.
Mantashe himself faced criticism last month when his son Buyambo was appointed as a Sector Education and Training Authority board chairperson. Public outcry over nepotism led to his son’s subsequent removal from the position.
The ethics warning at Mabuza’s memorial service underscores growing concerns about corruption within government ranks. As investigations continue into various allegations, Mantashe’s message was clear: ministers must maintain ethical standards or face the consequences.
The memorial service, held to honor the former Deputy President who died on July 3, became a platform for addressing broader governance issues facing South Africa’s political leadership.
