Cape Town – The Presidency has distanced itself from the controversy surrounding Deputy President Paul Mashatile and allegations that his luxurious lifestyle is being financed by corrupt individuals.
According to an exposé by News24, tenderpreneurs who have government contracts allegedly fund Mashatile’s extravagant lifestyle.
The report revealed that Mashatile lives a life of luxury, living in expensive homes owned by businessmen benefitting from state contracts.
“One of Mashatile’s largest benefactors is Edwin Sodi, the politically connected businessman currently on trial on charges of corruption and fraud linked to a R255-million Free State asbestos eradication tender, together with former Free State premier, Ace Magashule, who was recently expelled from the ANC,” the report said.
But the Presidency on Wednesday distanced itself from Mashatile’s lifestyle choices, stating that it is a personal matter and that he is not facing any criminal charges or investigations, The Citizen reported.
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“There are no allegations through the sort of formal criminal justice process, so you are referring to news reports. As a country, we don’t – as yet – have laws that prosecute individuals on the basis of being found guilty by association.
“We don’t have those laws. The deputy president is not facing any criminal charges nor has he been cited in any criminal investigation.
“With respect to the deputy president’s association that is a personal matter that the deputy president may decide to reflect on and I think it’s important we be cautious on the terminology we use,” the report quoted Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya as saying.
Magwenya added that Mashatile and President Cyril Ramaphosa haven’t spoken about the matter
“There’s has been no discussion between the deputy president and president on the News24 articles,” he said.
However, Rise Mzansi has called for an investigation into potential breaches of ethics by Mashatile and for him to be held accountable if any violations are found.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
