Cape Town – Political party Rise Mzansi has expressed concern over allegations linking Deputy President Paul Mashatile to state capture crimes.
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.
Rise Mzansi’s spokesperson, Tebogo Moalusi, said that the revelations are alarming, EWN reported.
“Mr Edwin Sodi, who is alleged to be one of Mr Mashatile’s major benefactors and has been charged with corruption, also declined to refute the allegations.
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“We are therefore left with the impression that the allegations must either be substantively true, or both have such disdain for the public that they do not care, which is more likely.
“In a country with no consequences for corruption, the establishment of political and business elites do not care to even acknowledge any public concerns as they assume the public should be grateful for their mere existence,” the report quoted Moalusi as saying.
Moalusi emphasised the importance of the deputy president’s office and called for the allegations to be thoroughly investigated and addressed by Mashatile.
Meanwhile, the Public Interest SA said the report is “alleging an unseemly, opulent lifestyle” by Mashatile.
“While we acknowledge Mr Mashatile’s constitutionally-enshrined freedom of association, it is deeply regrettable that he is alleged to maintain links with and to be benefitting from those alleged to have pilfered from the state through corrupt practices,” News24 quoted the organisation as saying.
It urged Mashatile to urgently address the “serious allegations of his reported continued association and pecuniary interests he may have with those who are accused of plundering public resources through state capture and corruption”.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
