Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi has ignited a political firestorm, publicly calling out ANC leaders for shielding their families from the consequences of South Africa’s worsening unemployment crisis.
In a fiery statement, Lonzi declared that if ordinary citizens are struggling to find jobs and put food on the table, then the children of political elites like President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe, and Fikile Mbalula should not be spared from that struggle.
“If the people are hungry, then Ramaphosa’s children must be hungry too. If there are no jobs, even Mbalula’s kids shouldn’t have special access to employment,” Lonzi said.
He accused the ruling party of creating a closed circle of privilege, where the children of prominent politicians benefit from government contracts and public funds, while millions of young South Africans face crippling unemployment and poverty.
Lonzi’s criticism didn’t stop there. He named Jacob Zuma’s children as early beneficiaries of corrupt tender deals, then pointed to alleged Bosasa-linked payouts involving the Ramaphosa family, and now claims Gwede Mantashe is lining up for a piece of the same “gravy train.”
The comments come amid growing public frustration over youth unemployment, lack of accountability, and the perception that political power equals personal enrichment in South Africa.
Lonzi’s explosive remarks strike at the heart of inequality in South Africa—raising a powerful, uncomfortable question: Shouldn’t the pain of poverty be shared equally, especially by those in power?
