By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) has defended its deputy president Paul Mashatile against allegations of fraud and perjury.
This follows an ANC North West member, who had approached the courts accusing Mashatile of lying under oath.
Sello Molefe claimed that Mashatile submitted a falsified affidavit insisting that the NEC had decided that the North West interim provincial committee (IPC) could call a provincial conference.
Mashatile, who was acting secretary-general of the party at the time, allegedly insisted that the NEC had resolved that the North West interim provincial committee (IPC) had the right to call for a provincial conference.
Molefe said that Mashatile fabricated the NEC meeting in July so that the North West provincial conference could go ahead.
In a statement, the ANC said it had noted the report of the case which was opened by someone “who is said” to be an ANC member.
“We wish to place it on record that leaders of the ANC act and discharge their responsibilities on behalf of the organisation, and not in their personal capacity,” it said.
“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,” said the party.
It said any member who had grievance concerning organisational processes should utilise the ANC’s dispute resolution mechanisms that are in place, instead of running to the courts.
Addressing the special congress of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday, Mashatile called for a renewed ANC that is not pre-occupied with itself and its internal dynamics.
He called for an ANC that “is in touch with communities – an ANC that is responsive to the needs of the people – an ANC that spends more time resolving problems of the people.”
“Let us remember that unity is the very basis upon which our organization and alliance was founded. Unity is, therefore, sacrosanct!”
Mashatile is expected to replace the incumbent, David Mabuza, who has resigned as the deputy president of South Africa.
He is a veteran politician from the ANC, the party that has governed South Africa since democracy in 1994. He has occupied a dizzying array of posts and portfolios during his climb to the top.
Mashatile has been continuously in party or state posts for 29 years. Though he battled with the ANC’s parlous financial plight before 2023 as treasurer, overall his track record is a creditable performance.
In 1994 he was elected as a member of the provincial legislature and leader of the house in Gauteng. He became in turn a member of the executive committee for transport and public works, next for safety and security, then human settlements, then finance and economic affairs. For 2008-2009 he became the fourth premier of Gauteng.
From 2010 to 2016 he was a member of parliament, when he served as minister of arts and culture.
He became an opponent of then South African president Jacob Zuma’s alleged corruption. In 2017 he was elected as treasure general of the ANC, and added to that in 2022 the role of acting secretary general. At the ANC’s 2022 national elective congress, he was elected by a sizeable majority as deputy president of the ANC.
So Mashatile is in pole position to be appointed as the next deputy president of South Africa. Being a decade younger than President Cyril Ramaphosa, he is also well positioned to compete to succeed him in five years’ time.