Latest news with #PaulMashatile
IOL News
3 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Minister Tau must launch independent probe into Lotto tender as scandal deepens
Minister Parks Tau did not properly oversee the appointment of Sizekhaya Holdings as the new Lottery Operator, says the writer. Image: File The DA calls for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the awarding of the fourth national lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings. The investigation must be fully independent, without any ANC political influence. The revelations and scandals around the new Lottery Operator licence continue to deepen, tied to the family of ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile. The DA is appalled to note that a member of the evaluation committee that ultimately chose Sizekhaya Holdings was entertained and hosted in his capacity at the 25th anniversary Golf Day of Goldrush, which owns 50% of Sizekhaya, mere months before he was involved in evaluating the company's bid for the tender. This appears to be another blatant example of further corruption of the legitimacy of the process to select Sizekhaya Holdings. The conflicts of interest now span both the bid evaluation committee and the political proximity of the winning bidder itself. Increasingly, the picture is emerging of a completely manufactured outcome to benefit the family of ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile. The link to Mashatile is undeniable. Sizekhaya Holdings is part-owned by Bellamont Gaming, a company founded and directed by Deputy President Paul Mashatile's sister-in-law, Khumo Bogatsu, and close associate, Moses Tembe (who is also the chairman of Sizekhaya). Minister Tau's effective admission that he failed to properly oversee the process, allowing the ties between Sizekhaya and Deputy President Paul Mashatile's family to slip through, suggests the due diligence process was either incomplete or deliberately overlooked. Put simply, Minister Parks Tau did not properly oversee the appointment of Sizekhaya Holdings as the new Lottery Operator, allowing a glaring and scandalous conflict of interest with the Deputy President's family to get through. This demands answers and transparency. The DA's call for a full-scale independent investigation into this scandal has been made by way of a letter to Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau. The least that Minister Tau can do, in the face of such obvious failures and ANC cronyism, is to establish an independent investigation. The DA is calling for this independent investigation to determine whether any of the evaluation, adjudication, or quality assurance committees were aware of these connections, and whether the failure to disclose the links was due to insufficient rigour or simple impropriety. The independent investigation must assess wilful or negligent conduct, through political influence during the evaluation and adjudication process, for political accountability to follow. The DA will get to the bottom of how and why the ANC Deputy President's family is now so deeply involved in this valuable deal, though an effective admission of failure by an ANC Minister. Toby Chance MP DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry & Competition
IOL News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Military Vets Database Crisis: A Betrayal of Liberation Soldiers
An MK military veteran protests outside the Durban City Hall. The Military Veterans Database should serve as a beacon of fairness, ensuring that all veterans receive their rightful benefits. Instead, the DVCE's verification process is a labyrinth of inconsistency and prejudice, says the writer. Carl Niehaus South Africa's Military Veterans Act No. 18 of 2011 was a solemn pledge to honour those who sacrificed their lives for freedom, promising them dignity through benefits like housing, healthcare, education, and pensions. At its core lies the Military Veterans Database, intended to identify and register those entitled to these hard-won rights. Yet, more than a decade later, this promise lies in tatters, broken by a verification process riddled with bias, bureaucratic failure, and factional malice. Overseen by the Database Verification, Cleansing and Enhancement (DVCE) under the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans (PTT), the system has become a tool of exclusion, humiliating liberation soldiers and denying them their dues. Despite mounting complaints, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who chairs the PTT, and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga have failed to act, with Motshekga's unfitness for office casting a shadow over the Department of Military Veterans. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemn this betrayal and demands urgent reform to restore justice for our liberation heroes. A System Rigged Against Liberation Soldiers The Military Veterans Database should serve as a beacon of fairness, ensuring that all veterans receive their rightful benefits. Instead, the DVCE's verification process is a labyrinth of inconsistency and prejudice. Veterans of the apartheid-era South African Defence Force (SADF), armed with formal records and defence force numbers, are seamlessly registered. In stark contrast, members of non-statutory forces—heroes of the People's Liberation Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA)—face an arduous ordeal, forced to produce near-impossible proof of their clandestine service. Liberation soldiers fought under conditions that defied record-keeping. Many MK and APLA members trained in camps across Angola, Tanzania, or Zambia, while others operated within South Africa's townships as part of self-defence units (SDUs) or underground networks. These internal fighters, hailed by ANC President Oliver Tambo as the backbone of MK's internal machinery, risked everything in covert operations. Yet, the DVCE demands documentation they could never have—official records or testimony from commanders long deceased or scattered. This bias, compounded by ever-shifting criteria, locks countless veterans out of their entitlements. The process is further tainted by ANC factionalism, with the DVCE becoming a battleground for political score-settling. Factions wield verification as a weapon to exclude rivals, undermining the very struggle these veterans fought for. Deputy President Mashatile and Minister Motshekga, tasked with oversight, have turned a blind eye to these abuses, allowing factional politics to flourish unchecked—a failure that underscores Motshekga's inability to lead effectively. The Indignity of Erasure Under the chairpersonship of Retired Major General Mashoala, the DVCE has transformed verification into an exercise in humiliation. Legitimate MK veterans, particularly those who served in the internal machinery, face aggressive interrogations and outright rejection, their sacrifices dismissed with contempt. This is not mere bureaucracy—it is a deliberate affront to the liberation struggle. I myself, a documented military veteran and member of the People's Liberation Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), have endured this injustice. My 1983 court records, where I was charged with so-called high treason, meticulously detail my membership in MK and the ANC, resulting in a 15-year sentence by the apartheid regime. These records stand as irrefutable proof of my service, yet General Mashoala, driven by factional political motives, questioned my MK membership in a manner both aggressive and degrading. My ordeal reflects the plight of countless veterans whose contributions are being erased for political gain. In recent weeks, this crisis reached a boiling point in the North West Province. General Mashoala's DVCE meetings subjected genuine MK veterans—many from MK's internal machinery and SDUs—to hostile interrogations and public humiliation, summarily rejecting their claims. These rejections do not merely deny benefits like housing, healthcare, or education for their dependents; they negate the essence of their struggle. The inaction of Mashatile and Motshekga in the face of widespread outcry is a profound lapse in leadership. The Devastating Toll of Exclusion The human cost of this broken system is staggering. Excluded veterans are left without healthcare for ailments born of their struggle, without homes for their families, and without education for their children. This is a moral travesty, condemning those who fought for freedom to lives of destitution. The SDUs, who braved unimaginable dangers in townships to protect communities and shift the balance of power toward the 1994 elections, are particularly hard-hit. Their clandestine contributions, pivotal to our democracy, are ignored by the DVCE's narrow criteria, leaving many excluded and forgotten. A Demand for Justice The EFF will not stand idly by while our liberation heroes are betrayed. The DVCE process, under the PTT, is fatally flawed—its biased criteria and factional corruption are an insult to the struggle. The paper-based system, prone to fraud and maladministration as seen in the North West Province, must be scrapped. General Mashoala's leadership, tainted by political motives, is untenable; he must be removed as DVCE chairperson immediately. We demand a transparent, digitized verification system rooted in inclusive criteria that honour the full spectrum of the liberation struggle. It must recognize non-statutory forces, including MK's internal machinery and SDUs, accepting affidavits, community testimonies, and historical records as valid proof. This process must be purged of ANC factionalism, ensuring no veteran is excluded for political gain. Deputy President Mashatile, as PTT head, must champion this reform, rectifying his administration's failure to heed complaints. Minister Motshekga's unfitness for office, evident in her oversight of this crisis, necessitates her immediate dismissal by President Ramaphosa. A Nation's Moral Reckoning South Africa's soul is on trial. A nation's integrity is measured by how it honours those who fought for its freedom, and by this standard, we are failing. The Military Veterans Database crisis is a profound betrayal of our liberation soldiers, whose blood and sacrifice in camps, townships, and underground networks birthed our democracy. As a documented military veteran and member of the People's Liberation Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), I have witnessed this betrayal firsthand, my service questioned by General Mashoala's factional agenda despite court records affirming my role. This injustice is not mine alone—it is shared by countless MK and APLA veterans, SDU members, and internal operatives whose legacies are being erased. This crisis strikes at the heart of our liberation heritage, dishonouring the vision of Oliver Tambo and the collective courage that toppled apartheid. The inaction of Deputy President Mashatile and Minister Motshekga reflects a deeper failure of leadership, one that President Ramaphosa must address by removing Motshekga from office. The EFF's demands are unequivocal: remove General Mashoala, digitize the DVCE process, and establish criteria that uphold the truth of our struggle. We will fight relentlessly until our veterans' sacrifices are recognized, their dignity restored, and their contributions enshrined in a just system. South Africa owes this sacred duty to its liberation heroes—not as a favour, but as a matter of justice, for the integrity of our history and the soul of our nation hang in the balance. * Carl Niehaus is an EFF Member of Parliament (MP). He serves as the EFF's permanent representative on the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Ties that bind: Inside Mashatile's inner circle behind SA's new lottery operator
A cache of pictures and video shows the cozy ties between Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the inner circle behind the new lottery operator, Sizekhaya Holdings. It also introduces a key new figure linking them: Sbu Shabalala, the disgraced former Adapt IT chief executive. Photographs and footage reveal the close personal relationships behind the company that clinched the multibillion-rand lotto licence and their links to Deputy President Paul Mashatile. They provide insight into the powerful people who orbit the Deputy President, with a new name surfacing: former Adapt IT CEO Sbu Shabalala. Following amaBhungane's reporting, members of Parliament put the heat on Minister of Trade and Industry, Parks Tau, asking him to account for possible conflicts of interest in the licence bidding process and award. AmaBhungane understands that Sbu Shabalala is engaged to Khumo Bogatsu, Mashatile's sister-in-law, and is also the cousin of Moses Tembe, the Durban businessman who leads Sizekhaya. Earlier this week amaBhungane revealed that Bogatsu is the twin sister of second lady Humile Mashatile and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Tembe. Bellamont Gaming is a shareholder in Sizekhaya Holdings, which has received the nod from Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to take over the national lottery licence, valid for eight years and generating about R7-billion annually. Shabalala is believed to be a key person helping knit together the politically connected group, which includes Sandile Zungu, a prominent member of Sizekhaya who reportedly co-leads the consortium with Tembe. Shabalala's presence is also controversial because of his spectacular fall from grace and departure from Adapt IT in 2021 following a violent incident at his estranged wife's home. He did not respond to questions. Power video The group's proximity to power is most strikingly demonstrated in a video circulated online around March 2025 – three months before the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) announced Sizekhaya as the winning bidder. The video captures the group, minus Zungu, at what appears to be a holiday gathering at an upscale resort. The scene is relaxed and familiar: Tembe in a crisp white shirt, his wife in jeans and a white shirt, Shabalala in a black shirt and shorts, Bogatsu in a sun hat and white blouse, Mrs Mashatile sipping a bottle of water and the Deputy President dancing. Deputy President Paul Mashatile taking a break from his demanding duties to spend quality time with family and friends. — MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 15, 2025 Other photos, which we'll detail, place members of the group – including Zungu, Mashatile and their spouses – in each other's company at various personal and private events. The visuals are significant, not because powerful people have friends, but because these friendships sit at the nexus of a major public tender worth billions, raising questions about proximity, access and influence. In this regard, State Capture amply demonstrated the potential sway of informal networks over formal decision-making. The visuals add to concerns about the potential for political interference in the award of the hotly contested lottery licence, despite both Tau and Mashatile emphasising this week that the Deputy President played no role whatsoever in the lottery decision. In a response to amaBhungane, Sizekhaya said that 'the questions put forward to Advocate Bogatsu, Mr Tembe and Mr Zungu are irrelevant to the award and operation of the fourth national lottery licence and, as such, Sizekhaya is unable to respond to them. 'Sizekhaya reiterates that the allegations relating to 'interested, politically connected parties' are baseless, and that our directors and shareholders are fit and proper, as per the Lotteries Act.' Tembe told amaBhungane he did not believe any answer they gave would ever satisfy the 'insatiable appetite to incriminate' Mashatile: 'We're private individuals who've got private lives like you… You're welcome to continue down that trajectory without our cooperation.' He maintained that they had submitted all necessary declarations to the NLC and that the consortium won the bid on merit. Fallout As a result of amaBhungane's reporting, members of Parliament grilled Tau about Mashatile's possible conflicts of interest during a committee meeting on Tuesday. Tau indicated he had been unaware that the Deputy President's sister-in-law had an interest in Sizekhaya and said the matter would be investigated. Mashatile also later claimed he was unaware of Bogatsu's participation in the lottery bid. Several questions put to Mashatile's office went unanswered. Then, in a shocking turn of events, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that he had taken a decision to remove Deputy Minister of Trade Industry and Competition Andrew Whitfield, who is also a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA). Whitfield's firing was allegedly owing to his official overseas visit in February, which took place without Ramaphosa's permission. A furious DA gave Ramaphosa 48 hours to remove other poor performing and corruption-implicated ministers, threatening 'consequences' if he did not. In a speech on Thursday, DA leader John Steenhuisen told Parliament that 'perhaps there is something even deeper at play here… Andrew Whitfield… had opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments, he was standing in the way of the looting that will follow from the Transformation Fund – and all of this in a department mired in corruption allegations involving the tender for the National Lottery.' In a statement on Friday, Ramaphosa said Whitfield's firing was unrelated to anything else. 'There is really no basis for suggestions that the dismissal of the former deputy minister is related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the Executive of the Republic of South Africa,' he said. Shabalala's rise and fall For Shabalala – whose engagement to Bogatsu appears to have given him direct access to Mashatile – to be included in the Deputy President's circle provides him a comeback after his dramatic fall from grace. In May 2021, the Sunday Times reported that Shabalala's estranged wife, Neo Shabalala, sought a high court interdict against Shabalala, claiming he had hired armed men to assault her then partner, Sipho Nzuza, at her Zimbali home. Nzuza was eThekwini municipal manager, but was at the time out on bail of R50,000 after being arrested in connection with the now-notorious Durban Solid Waste case, in which he is still on trial alongside former Mayor Zandile Gumede. The Sunday Times report said Nzuza had been left in a critical condition after the attack and had his spleen and part of a kidney removed. Neo claimed in her affidavit that the assault – at which Sbu Shabalala was allegedly present – was meant to intimidate her into signing a divorce settlement that she believed was for less than what she was entitled to. She claimed Shabalala was invading her privacy by planting listening devices in her home and monitoring her cellphone. 'I do not feel safe in the slightest with the First Respondent [Shabalala] being near me or entering the immovable property,' she said. Although Shabalala maintained his innocence, saying the allegations were without merit, he consented to the interdict and the fallout resulted in his fall from grace. After taking a three month leave of absence to 'attend to personal matters' he ended up resigning from Adapt IT – the feisty tech company that he had founded and taken to a listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. 'We are coming home' – and bringing friends In growing closer to Mashatile through Bogatsu, Shabalala is said to have also brought his cousin, Tembe, into enhanced proximity. Tembe co-directs and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Bogatsu, the twin sister of Mashatile's wife, Humile. The company is a minority shareholder in Sizekhaya, and it is central to questions of a conflict of interest for the Deputy President. The company's name, Sizekhaya – which translates to 'we are coming home' – seems apt for a group bound not only by business but also by longstanding personal relationships. Aside from the revealing video, the group also appeared together in a photo previously published by amaBhungane, taken at St Paul's Anglican Church in February 2024, where they gathered to honour victims of a bus crash following the ANC's manifesto launch at Moses Mabhida Stadium. While the published photo focused on Tembe, Mashatile and his wife in the front row, a closer look reveals Shabalala standing behind them to the right and a partially obscured woman who may be Bogatsu to his left, just behind the red jacket. That year, Mashatile had frequented Tembe's home in uMdloti, KwaZulu-Natal, according to people in the area, and around the time the photo was taken it is said that Mashatile's presidential protection unit stayed over at Tembe's house for around six days. Coincidentally or not, Bellamont Gaming was registered just months before that visit, in December 2023 – four months after the NLC published the request for proposal (FRP) for the licence and just two months before bids were due. In that month, Zungu was seemingly celebrating a special moment with Tembe, and a photo shared to his WhatsApp story shows the pair holding a baby girl, allegedly Zungu's. Miami and milestones 2023 was also the year that Shabalala and Bogatsu allegedly celebrated their own milestone – their alleged engagement in August in Miami. Tembe and Reggie Kukama – a well-known friend and associate of Mashatile's – as well as Kukama's son were allegedly there to witness the special occasion. Kukama and Mashatile are members of the so-called 'Alex mafia', a group of successful businessmen and politicians who hail from Alexandra, Johannesburg. More pictures from the same year show Shabalala and Bogatsu arm-in-arm with Zungu and his wife, Nozipho. Another image shows the alleged couple with a close friend at a lunch hosted for the group. Another shows Bogatsu and Shabalala alongside the ANC's Tony Yengeni in an intimate lunch setting. On 2 February 2024, the day before the lottery bids were due, Shabalala, Bogatsu, Tembe and his wife, Princess Nandoyesizwe Tembe (formerly Zulu), were photographed at the opening of the Anele Tembe Library at Durban Girls' College. It was a special occasion for Tembe as a grieving father. His daughter Anele died in 2001 after falling from a balcony in the presence of her then fiancé, rapper Kiernan AKA Forbes. Forbes died two years later after being shot in Durban. 'Not enough to buy an aeroplane' In response to amaBhungane's questions, Tembe dismissed questions about his relationships as an 'invasion of privacy and humiliating'. He said that in his various positions, he has met 'almost all leaders across the political spectrum in their home and my home'. 'It's my duty to share notes on all issues that impact business and to influence them to inculcate and live Godly values. None of them (across the political spectrum) would ever say I discussed personal interests.' Mashatile, he said, had no financial interest in Sizekhaya's bid. He added that the bid was never discussed with Mashatile and confirmed his shareholding in Sizekhaya, but claimed that it was 'insignificant' and 'much less than 10%'. He added: 'The NLC takes the biggest chunk of the top line and winnings even higher. No shareholder would make money to buy an aeroplane.' Political alignment Tau and Mashatile have also risen through the political ranks together. From December 2000, Tau served as a member of the mayoral committee (MMC) in Johannesburg for various portfolios until 2009, when he was elected to the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee. Around this time, from 1994 until 2009, Mashatile served as MEC in various portfolios, also in Gauteng. From 2007 to 2017, Mashatile served as provincial chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng and from 2011 to 2016 – the same period – Tau served as mayor of Johannesburg. Parliamentary grilling Tau maintained in a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting this week that the process of awarding the licence to Sizekhaya Holdings was fair, but said he would go back and investigate allegations of a conflict of interest between the Deputy President and his sister-in-law. 'Fit and proper is a continuous process. There are allegations that have been raised in the media,' Tau said. 'We have looked at those allegations and we will look at them because they are specific allegations; you cannot ignore them. It would be irresponsible of us to ignore what has been raised in the public domain by investigative journalists in the media and so on.' Tau added that they would get appropriate advice on whether the Deputy President's relationship constitutes a conflict of interest, political affiliation and any other considerations. DM
News24
2 days ago
- Business
- News24
Ties that bind: Inside Mashatile's inner circle behind SA's new lottery operator
Photographs and footage reveal the close personal relationships behind the company that clinched the multibillion-rand lotto licence and its links to Deputy President Paul Mashatile. They provide insight into the powerful people who orbit the deputy president, with a new name surfacing: former Adapt IT CEO Sbu Shabalala. Following amaBhungane's reporting, MPs put the heat on Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, asking him to account for possible conflicts of interest in the licence-bidding process and award. A cache of pictures and videos show the cosy ties between Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the inner circle behind the new lottery operator, Sizekhaya Holdings. It also introduces a key new figure linking them: Sbu Shabalala, the disgraced former Adapt IT chief executive. AmaBhungane understands that Shabalala is engaged to Khumo Bogatsu, Mashatile's sister-in-law, and is also the cousin of Moses Tembe, the Durban businessman who leads Sizekhaya. Earlier this week, amaBhungane revealed that Bogatsu is the twin sister of second lady Humile Mashatile and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Tembe. Bellamont Gaming is a shareholder in Sizekhaya Holdings, which has received the nod from Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to take over the national lottery licence, which is valid for eight years and generates about R7 billion annually. amaBhungane Shabalala is believed to be a key person helping knit together the politically connected group, which includes Sandile Zungu, a prominent member of Sizekhaya who reportedly co-leads the consortium with Tembe. Shabalala's presence is also controversial because of his spectacular fall from grace and departure from Adapt IT in 2021 following a violent incident at his estranged wife's home. He did not respond to questions. Power video The group's proximity to power is most strikingly demonstrated in a video circulated online around March 2025 - three months before the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) announced Sizekhaya as the winning bidder. The video captures the group, minus Zungu, at what appears to be a holiday gathering at an upscale resort. The scene is relaxed and familiar: Tembe in a crisp white shirt, his wife in jeans and a white shirt, Shabalala in a black shirt and shorts, Bogatsu in a sun hat and white blouse, Mrs Mashatile sipping a bottle of water and the deputy president caught dancing. Deputy President Paul Mashatile taking a break from his demanding duties to spend quality time with family and friends. — MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 15, 2025 Other photos, which we'll detail, place members of the group - including Zungu, Mashatile and their spouses - in each other's company at various personal and private events. The visuals are significant, not because powerful people have friends, but because these friendships sit at the nexus of a major public tender worth billions, raising questions about proximity, access and influence. In this regard, state capture amply demonstrated the potential sway of informal networks over formal decision-making. The visuals add to concerns about the potential for political interference in the award of the hotly contested lottery licence, despite both Tau and Mashatile emphasising this week that the deputy president played no role whatsoever in the lottery decision. In a response to amaBhungane, Sizekhaya said: 'The questions put forward to advocate Bogatsu, Mr Tembe, and Mr Zungu are irrelevant to the award and operation of the fourth national lottery licence and, as such, Sizekhaya is unable to respond to them. Sizekhaya added: Sizekhaya reiterates that the allegations relating to 'interested, politically connected parties' are baseless, and that our directors and shareholders are fit and proper, as per the Lotteries Act. Tembe told amaBhungane he did not believe any answer they gave would ever satisfy the 'insatiable appetite to incriminate' Mashatile: 'We're private individuals who've got private lives like you… You're welcome to continue down that trajectory without our cooperation.' He maintained that they had submitted all necessary declarations to the NLC and that the consortium won the bid on merit. Fallout Following amaBhungane's reporting, MPs grilled Tau during a committee meeting on Tuesday about Mashatile's possible conflicts of interest. Tau indicated he had been unaware that the deputy president's sister-in-law had an interest in Sizekhaya and said the matter would be investigated. Mashatile also later claimed he was unaware of Bogatsu's participation in the lottery bid. Then, in a shocking turn of events, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that he had decided to remove Deputy Trade Industry and Competition Minister Andrew Whitfield, a DA member. Whitfield's firing was allegedly due to his official overseas visit in February, which took place without Ramaphosa's permission. A furious DA gave Ramaphosa 48 hours to remove other poor-performing and corruption-implicated ministers, threatening 'consequences' if he did not. In a speech on Thursday, DA leader John Steenhuisen told Parliament that 'perhaps there is something even deeper at play here… Andrew Whitfield … had opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments; he was standing in the way of the looting that will follow from the Transformation Fund - and all of this in a department mired in corruption allegations involving the tender for the national lottery.' In a statement on Friday, Ramaphosa said Whitfield's firing was unrelated to anything else other than his trip. 'There is really no basis for suggestions that the dismissal of the former deputy minister is related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the executive of the Republic of South Africa,' he said. Shabalala's rise and fall For Shabalala - whose engagement to Bogatsu appears to have given him direct access to Mashatile - being included in the deputy president's circle provides him with a comeback after his dramatic fall from grace. In May 2021, the Sunday Times reported that Shabalala's estranged wife, Neo Shabalala, sought a High Court interdict against him, claiming he had hired armed men to assault her then-partner, Sipho Nzuza, at her Zimbali home. Nzuza was eThekwini's city manager but was at the time out on bail of R50 000 after being arrested in connection with the now notorious Durban Solid Waste case, where he is still on trial alongside former mayor Zandile Gumede. ALSO READ | amaBhungane: Who went to Paris with Paul? Tenderpreneur joined Mashatile's France-SA business trip The Sunday Times report said Nzuza had been left in critical condition after the attack and had his spleen and part of a kidney removed. Neo claimed in her affidavit that the assault - at which Shabalala was allegedly present - was meant to intimidate her into signing a divorce settlement that she believed was for less than what she was entitled to. She claimed Shabalala was invading her privacy by planting listening devices in her home and monitoring her cellphone. Neo said: I do not feel safe in the slightest with the first respondent [Shabalala] being near me or entering the immovable property. Although Shabalala maintained his innocence, saying the allegations were without merit, he consented to the interdict, and the fallout resulted in his fall from grace. After taking a three-month leave of absence to 'attend to personal matters', he resigned from Adapt IT, the feisty tech company he founded and took to a listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. 'We are coming home' - and bringing friends In growing closer to Mashatile through Bogatsu, Shabalala is said to have also brought his cousin, Tembe, into enhanced proximity. Tembe co-directs and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Bogatsu, the twin sister of Mashatile's wife, Humile. The company is a minority shareholder in Sizekhaya, and it is central to questions about a conflict of interest for the deputy president. The company's name, Sizekhaya - which translates to 'we are coming home' - seems apt for a group bound not only by business but also by longstanding personal relationships. Aside from the revealing video, the group also appeared together in a photo previously published by amaBhungane. The photo was taken at St Paul's Anglican Church in February 2024, where they gathered to honour victims of a bus crash following the ANC's manifesto launch at Moses Mabhida Stadium. While the published photo focused on Tembe, Mashatile and his wife in the front row, a closer look reveals Shabalala standing behind them to the right and a partially obscured woman, who may be Bogatsu, to his left, just behind the red jacket. Supplied That year, Mashatile had frequented Tembe's home in uMdloti, KwaZulu-Natal, according to people in the area, and around the time the photo was taken it is said that Mashatile's presidential protection unit stayed over at Tembe's house for around six days. Coincidentally or not, Bellamont Gaming was registered just months before that visit, in December 2023 - four months after the NLC published the request for proposal for the licence and just two months before bids were due. In that month, Zungu was seemingly celebrating a special moment with Tembe, and a photo shared to his WhatsApp story shows the pair allegedly holding Zungu's baby girl. Supplied Miami and milestones 2023 was also the year that Shabalala and Bogatsu allegedly celebrated their own milestone - their alleged engagement in August in Miami. Tembe and Reggie Kukama - a well-known friend and associate of Mashatile's - as well as Kukama's son were allegedly there to witness the special occasion. Supplied Kukama and Mashatile are members of the so-called 'Alex Mafia', a group of successful businessmen and politicians who hail from Alexandra in Johannesburg. More pictures from the same year show Shabalala and Bogatsu arm-in-arm with Zungu and his wife, Nozipho. Supplied Supplied Another image shows the alleged couple with a close friend at a lunch hosted for the group. Another shows Bogatsu and Shabalala alongside the ANC's Tony Yengeni in an intimate lunch setting. On 2 February 2024, the day before the lottery bids were due, Shabalala, Bogatsu, Tembe and his wife, Princess Ntandoyesizwe Tembe (formerly Zulu), were photographed at the opening of the Anele Tembe Library at Durban Girls' College. Supplied It was a special occasion for Tembe as a grieving father. Anele died in 2001 after falling from a balcony in the presence of her then-fiancé, rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes. Forbes died two years later after being shot in Durban. 'Not enough to buy an aeroplane' In response to amaBhungane's questions, Tembe dismissed questions about his relationships as an 'invasion of privacy and humiliating'. He said in his various positions, he met 'almost all leaders across the political spectrum in their home and my home'. 'It's my duty to share notes on all issues that impact business and to influence them to inculcate and live Godly values. None of them [across the political spectrum] would ever say I discussed personal interests.' Mashatile, Tembe added, had no financial interest in Sizekhaya's bid, saying the bid was never discussed with Mashatile and confirmed his shareholding in Sizekhaya, but he claimed that it was 'insignificant' and 'much less than 10%'. 'The NLC takes the biggest chunk of the top line and winnings even higher. No shareholder would make money to buy an aeroplane.' Political alignment Tau and Mashatile have also risen through the political ranks together. From December 2000, Tau served as a member of the mayoral committee in Johannesburg for various portfolios until 2009, when he was elected to the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee. From 1994 until 2009, around this time, Mashatile served as MEC in various portfolios, also in Gauteng. From 2007 to 2017, Mashatile served as provincial chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng and from 2011 to 2016 - the same period - Tau served as mayor of Johannesburg. Parliamentary grilling Tau maintained in a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting this week that the process of awarding the licence to Sizekhaya Holdings was fair but said he would go back and investigate allegations of a conflict of interest between the deputy president and his sister-in-law. He said: Fit and proper is a continuous process. There are allegations that have been raised in the media. 'We have looked at those allegations, and we will look at them because they are specific allegations; you cannot ignore them. It would be irresponsible of us to ignore what has been raised in the public domain by investigative journalists in the media and so on.' Tau added that the department would get appropriate advice on whether the deputy president's relationship constitutes a conflict of interest, political affiliation and any other considerations. AmaBhungane sent questions to Mashatile's office regarding the allegations, but he had not responded by the time of publication. The story will be updated if a comment is received.
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3 days ago
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Mashatile urges South African youth to seize opportunities for economic transformation
Addressing the G20 Roundtable, Deputy President Paul Mashatile urges investment in youth capabilities, highlighting the need for shared power, digital innovation, and sustainable development driven by Africa's young population. Image: HigherEducationZA / X Deputy President Paul Mashatile has urged South African youth to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the post-1994 democratic breakthrough. Mashatile addressed the high-level G20 intergenerational roundtable on Friday. 'The G20 provides South Africa with a strategic opportunity to frame global policy discussions around the capabilities of young people as agents of inclusive economic transformation and sustainability,' he said. Mashatile said it was necessary for him to acknowledge that youth around the world, including South Africa, are confronted with a complicated terrain of potential and difficulties. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Indeed, we have achieved political freedom, yet economic freedom remains elusive. Hence, the involvement of young people in tackling current issues such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty remains as crucial as during the apartheid era. The question that confronts us, therefore, is how can we further involve young people in addressing these challenges?' he asked. According to Mashatile, the country needs to create opportunities for meaningful participation in solutions and decision-making processes. This involves ensuring that individuals have access to education and opportunities that improve their skills, support youth-led initiatives, and promote inclusive economic growth. 'We need to turn our attention to youth capabilities and development to empower young people to unleash their untapped potential. When we invest in youth development, we tap into this potential and convert it into a force for positive change and sustainable development,' he said. Mashatile was speaking under the theme 'Building Youth Capabilities for a Developmental State: Advancing Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability', which he stated was an imperative. 'Investing in the capabilities of young people is essential for achieving meaningful solidarity, enduring equality, and sustainable development. This presents an opportunity for the African people to take charge of their development. 'It is a call to reshape the global order toward justice, equity, and sustainability through the leadership and capabilities of our youth,' Mashatile explained. He called on the youth to consistently devise strategies to advocate for change. Mashatile said that in the past, the youth led protests and organised themselves, and frequently opposed the status quo and strived for a more promising future. He promised that the government would anchor youth inclusion in every major pillar of South Africa's G20 presidency. 'As South Africa prepares for the G20 Leaders' Summit in November, we do so with the consciousness that global leadership must be grounded in domestic credibility and continental solidarity. 'The developmental state we seek to build is not a theoretical construct; it must be a living architecture built on the capabilities, aspirations, and contributions of its young people,' said the deputy president.
