Paul Mashatile brushes off alleged moves to impede path to deputy presidency

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile says he is unfazed by alleged attempts to block his move to the east wing of the Union Buildings.

Rumours abound that some in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inner circle are behind the delay in the cabinet reshuffle because they do not want Mashatile to replace David Mabuza as the country’s deputy president.

Mabuza forced Ramaphosa’s hand by announcing his resignation during his brother’s funeral in February and later resigning as an MP.

Mashatile was meant to have been installed as deputy president after his swearing in before the state of the nation address (Sona) at the beginning of February, but the process has been marred by countless delays.

“I remain focused,” Mashatile said on Wednesday evening when asked about the alleged machinations against him.

SA is without a deputy president after Mabuza quit this week, but Mashatile has still not been appointed. Those around Mashatile say a recent criminal case opened against him by a North West ANC member is one of the many attempts to block his appointment.

On Wednesday Mashatile said he was aware of a case purportedly opened.

“Yes, I saw something to that effect, but I said the ANC must deal with it.”

The case, opened by one Sello Molefe, alleges Mashatile committed fraud and perjury by appointing deceased people to the ANC North West interim provincial committee (IPC) during his tenure as acting secretary-general.

Molefe alleges Mashatile lied in a case that sought to nullify the ninth provincial conference by telling the court the party’s national executive committee (NEC) had taken a decision to reappoint the IPC that organised the conference.

That IPC, however, included three members who were no longer alive: Maitu Kgaile, Sophie Maine and OJ Tselapedi.

Mashatile also allegedly appointed Supra Mahumapelo, who had resigned as an IPC member and was deployed to the National Assembly, and former premier Job Mokgoro, who had resigned.

In an affidavit signed on Tuesday, Molefe said: “Not only did the terms of the deceased IPC members end on April 29 2020 while they were still alive, their ANC membership lapsed as at the respective dates of their passing. Yet Mashatile alleged in the answering affidavit the ANC NEC purportedly resolved on July 26-29 2022 to reappoint these deceased ANC members into the IPC notwithstanding the fact that they were [dead].

“The terms of office of Mahumapelo and Mokgoro ended when they resigned on September 30 2019 and August 26 2021, respectively. Mahumapelo and Mokgoro could therefore not be reappointed as IPC members by virtue of their resignations.”

Molefe accuses Mashatile of “copying and pasting” minutes from an NEC meeting that took place three years earlier when he deposed his affidavit to the court on the decision to reappoint the IPC.

“Mashatile was the acting secretary-general of the organisation on July 26-29 2022 and was aware when he deposed to the answering affidavit on August 24 2022 that there was never such a meeting held during that period, and there was never any resolution taken by the ANC NEC during the period in question,” Molefe alleged.

He claimed Mashatile admitted and apologised to the court for “fraud” and said he did not know how the error was made.

“Mashatile might not know who created the fraudulent NEC resolution purportedly taken at a meeting held on July 26-29 2022. However, what I am certain of is that Mashatile was the secretary-general of the ANC at the time and he deposed to the answering affidavit under oath in terms whereof he attached the fraudulent resolution and committed perjury confirming authenticity of the fraudulent resolution, while he was fully aware that the resolution was never taken,” said Molefe.

He said Mashatile committed a criminal offence of fraud and forgery.

The ANC said Mashatile was acting on behalf of the ANC.

“According to our records, all decisions pertaining to the erstwhile interim provincial committee and the subsequent election of the provincial executive committee were handled in accordance with ANC guidelines. The ANC will respond as and when required to do so by relevant authorities,” national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said.

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