MKP Member Mzwanele Manyi Calls for Saturday and Sunday To Be Working Days
- The Economic Freedom Fighters' former Member of Parliament and current MK Party member Mzwanele Manyi ruffled feathers when he proposed more working days in the weeks
- He questioned why Saturday and Sunday were not working days and said unemployed people need more days to work
- South Africans debated his statements, with some supporting him and others questioning the legality of his suggestion
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.
Source: Getty Images
JOHANNEBURG — MK Party Member of Parliament Mzwanele Manyi caused a debate when he suggested that Saturday and Sunday should be working days. He said unemployed people needed more days to work and hustle.
What did Manyi say?
The former Economic Freedom Fighters member posted on his @MzwaneleManyi X account on 6 April 2025. He tweeted four days after the National Assembly passed the budget vote, which the MK Party opposed.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
"Why aren't Saturday and Sunday normal working days? That 8-day monthly gap makes no sense, especially for the unemployed who need every opportunity to earn and hustle," he remarked.
Read his X tweet here:
Manyi joined the MK Party after he resigned as an Economic Freedom Fighters member alongside Floyd Shivambu. He was the editor-in-chief of the Gupta-owned African News Network. Before that, he was a high-ranking official of the Government Communications and Information System.
Source: Getty Images
What did South Africans say about his suggestions?
Netizens commenting on his post strongly debated his suggestion.
Those who agreed
Lindo Mnisi said:
"We need to activate a 24/7 economy. With our unemployment rate, the whole 9-to-5 idea makes no sense. Fix crime so that malls and factories can operate 24 hours a day with people working shifts. I wanna walk into Pick n Pay at 3 am to buy groceries."
Sithale said:
"As a member of parliament and lawmaker, you must introduce this bill next Sunday."
Josh Johnstone asked:
"Why aren't 17h00 to 24h00 and 00h00 to 8h00 not normal working hours? That 15-hour daily gap makes no sense, especially for the unemployed who need every opportunity to earn and hustle."
SibongileMdhluli said:
"As lawmakers, it is up to you to find ways to evolve the economy into a 24/7 one, to include more sectors to the ones already practising it. Yours is a relevant question and hopefully your aim was to get the appetite and temperature of SAns on the issue."
Those who disagreed
Lesedi asked:
"Trying to reverse the generational gains of our progressive labour policies hard won through protests and negotiations by civil society and unions?"
Tholakele said:
"The body needs to rest as well. There's nothing more important than one's health."
Siyabonga asked:
"Are these the people who represent us in Parliament?"
Who is Mzwanele Manyi?
Mzwanele Manyi is the current Chief Whip of Umkhonto Wesizwe in the National Assembly. He brings a diverse background as a businessman, communications strategist, and former civil servant. Manyi has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2023.
His professional journey began in the early 1990s as a management consultant for various companies. He later founded Izanokhanyo Leadership Consulting, a firm that provided management consulting services to a broad range of clients.
In 2001, Manyi was appointed to head the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) unit within the Department of Labour. He was responsible for developing and implementing policies aimed at advancing the economic empowerment of black South Africans.
In 2010, Manyi founded the Progressive Professional Forum (PPF), evolving it from what was previously known as the media and communications company Lodidox aiming to promote economic development in South Africa by creating a platform for professionals from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signs Expropriation Act
In a related article, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act into law.
The act allows for the government to expropriate land with nil compensation, only in the instance where no agreement was reached between the government and the land owner.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU - click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
