Minister of Minerals and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, allegedly paid journalists from Sunday World R70 000 to hide his infidelity with 26-year-old Lerato Makgatho from Pretoria. According to the Democratic Alliance the minister admitted to having bribed certain journalists(who are yet to be named) from the Sunday World andin the process contravened parliamentary laws.
The 26-year-old ‘slay queen’ also allegedly had an affair with the Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni but according to her their relationship did not last long due to him being a “control freak”. Mantashe has earned thenickname “tiger” after the Sunday paper labelled the minister as a “tiger in bed”.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) expressed shock at the accused journalists and believes that they went against journalism ethics.
The DA released a statement on Monday that comments on Mantashe admitting to bribery and therefore, he needs to be held accountable. The party believes Mantashe broke the parliamentarians’ code of ethical conduct and disclosure of members’ interests of parliament.
The journalists who were bribed are unknown, at this point, and the editor of Sunday World Makudu Sefaracalled for Mantashe to disclose their names.
