An afternoon with Gwede Mantashe
Sharon Mathala - Lewanika Timothy | Thursday September 18, 2025 09:08
Imagine interviewing a man who interrupts every word you say, not out of disrespect but out of the sheer love of rough debate, or even worse who laughs at your age when he walks into the room, before even greeting you.
At this point it sounds like the interview has gone south but the man was worth all his theatrics.
The political stalwart, who is also the South African Minister of Energy and Minerals, had come to court Botswana to join the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) but he went on to speak South African politics, Donald Trump and even President Ramaphosa possible successor.
MMEGI: Thank you for making the time and joining us today ? MANTASHE: But you are too young what are you going to ask me... (there we go!!)
MMEGI: It is not the first time you are in Gaborone to court Botswana to join ADPA, and there appears to be no progress since your last visit in 2022. Why is that the case?
MANTASHE: It is true that I was here in 2022 for the same reason which waas to make Botswana see why it will be important to join ADPA. Since then you will know that Botswana has experienced a changed in government and we are engaging the new government. The idea that there has been no progress has to factor in these entire political shifts?
MMEGI: But technocrats who are to implement these policies and decision remain static and the idea that government has changed should not have disrupted efforts to ratify into ADPA, if at all Botswana was interested. MANTASHE: Technocrats are not the decision makers, but politicians through political will are the chief decision makers. Technocrats act on behalf of politicians and get directions from them, which is why we are trying to engage with the new government to discuss how we can move forward.
MMEGI: Is there really an incentive for Botswana to join ADPA. We ask this because ADPA has member nations that are internationally regarded to be blood diamond producing countries. Is this not a disincentive for Botswana to join? MANTASHE: Botswana is the largest producer of diamonds in the African continent, there is no reason why it shouldn’t join. You must know that African countries must unite in order to speak as one voice to clear the air against blood diamonds and actually assesses what can be done for Africa to improve this situation. The advent of the continental free trade agreement makes it very necessary for Africa to unite in the trade of all commodities. We are all part of international diamond alliance organisations but even then we need to have our own voice as Africa that we can take to these forums and advocate in one voice. ADPA was officially established in 2006 via the Luanda Declaration and serves as a recognised intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Angola.
It consists of the mining ministers from its member states and represents African diamond-producing nations in global forums. It also actively participates in the Kimberley Process, influencing policies that govern the trade of rough diamonds. In total, ADPA includes at least 15 African nations, including major producers such as Angola, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
MMEGI: Why do you stress the need for African unity so much in trade especially with regards to diamonds? MANTASHE: As you know we need to unite against imperial action and unite our voice. Global developments have shown that Africa needs to stand as one. This is the same reason why Africa is the poorest despite the fact that it has the richest minerals deposits, precisely because we think that we are subjects of discussion by others rather than taking responsibility for ourselves, for ourselves. We must change our fortunes.
MMEGI: Do you see Africa getting to a point where it can control the mining cycle from mining to output, in the value chain? MANTASHE: Africa should consolidate itself, like Asia and the Middle East, because they took responsibility of looking after themselves as a block and we must do the same. The problem with Africa is that we are racing to the bottom because we think that competing at the bottom is competition but its self-destruction.
MMEGI: Some of your affiliates have had some sort of political clashes with one of the major markets of diamonds, being the United States. Wouldn’t this be an impediment to courting Botswana? MANTASHE: No, the USA is not a major market, they are a consumer. Actually, the regulation is in Brussels and Europe doesn’t produce diamonds, but they regulate them, and this why Africa should be united.
As the Mmegi team tried to engage and poke further on the US influence, Mantashe interrupted.
“Let me school you guys on that. You see a collapsing empire is dangerous to everybody and that is what is visiting the USA. The USA is a collapsing empire, and it shouldn’t be supported. They fight everybody, they have squabbles with everybody not just South Africa and they sponsor wars.”
Turning to local politics, Mmegi asked Mantashe what advice he has for Botswana’s new Government.
“They should just fulfil their promises because if they don’t Batswana will decide. There is no blueprint or anything extraordinary. “There are democratic processes that govern Botswana and the new Government should be tested. “In the end Batswana will take a decision during elections, that is how it works. Botswana has an old democracy which we could all learn from, and it was the second last in the continent to acquire democracy.”
Turning to South African politics, Mantashe says he is taking a step back from active politics.
Pressed who is backing as the next President of the ANC, Mantashe refused to share, only saying: “We shall see.”