Gwede Mantashe
Gwede Mantashe is a South African politician serving as Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, a portfolio he has held since 2018 when the two departments were merged. He is a South African national and a senior member of the African National Congress (ANC), having previously served as the party's secretary-general from 2007 to 2017 and as national chairperson from 2017. Mantashe's career path includes a background in mining: he worked as a mineworker and later as a trade union official, rising to become general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1998 to 2006. His influence spans the energy and mining sectors, where he has been a vocal advocate for the development of South Africa's coal, oil and gas resources, as well as nuclear energy, often emphasising energy security and economic growth. He has been a central figure in policy debates around the country's energy transition, the Integrated Resource Plan, and the licensing of new mining and petroleum exploration projects. Mantashe recurs in coverage of South Africa's energy crisis, mining regulation, and the balance between fossil fuel development and renewable energy commitments. His tenure has seen ongoing controversy over the pace of renewable energy adoption, the role of independent power producers, and the future of state-owned enterprises in the energy sector. Before entering full-time politics, his union leadership during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s established him as a key figure in the labour movement and the broader struggle against apartheid.
Gwede Mantashe Updates
Civil society warns against Orange Basin oil deal over Israel ties, climate risks
By: Thabi Shomolekae 21st August 2026 A coalition of South African civil society organisations has launched an urgent appeal to Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe... →
ActionSA slams Cabinet reshuffle as a 'failure'
By: Thabi Shomolekae 1st July 2026 ActionSA has strongly condemned President Cyril Ramaphosa's latest Cabinet reshuffle, particularly criticising the return of former Minister Dina... →
ActionSA Slams Cabinet Reshuffle, Beginning With the Return of a Disgraced Minister
1st July 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa's latest Cabinet reshuffle is yet another example of papering over a Government of National Unity that is out of ideas,... →
New cadastre processing W Cape mining licence applications, Parliament hears 
By: Martin Creamer 4th June 2026 The phased rollout of the new online mining licensing system – the cadastre – is progressing steadily, with Western Cape applications being... →
South Africa set to run coal stations longer as gas projects lag
By: Bloomberg 28th May 2026 South Africa is poised to delay the retirement of about a fifth of its coal-fired electricity-generation capacity as gas projects earmarked to... →
A bad day for Gwede
6th May 2026 Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe suffered two hammer blows to his credibility yesterday. His ministry wrongly calculated the... →
EFF demands urgent Parly sitting over fuel price hikes
By: Thabi Shomolekae 4th May 2026 The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has "vehemently rejected" the government's temporary, reactive measures in response to rising fuel costs,... →
Cabinet offers fuel assurances as task team mulls response measures
By: Terence Creamer 2nd April 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a Ministerial Task Team to coordinate government’s response to the impact on the cost of living, fuel and... →
PSA welcomes Fuel Levy relief, calls for stronger government intervention amid rising cost-of-living crisis
1st April 2026 The Public Servants Association (PSA) notes and welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, and the Minister of Mineral... →
Daily Podcast – March 31, 2026
By: Thabi Shomolekae 31st March 2026 Making headlines: Godongwana, Mantashe confirm R3/l fuel levy reduction for April; Kenya's inflation rises slightly to 4.4% year-on-year in March;... →
