The Democratic Alliance (DA) has challenged President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Paul Mashatile "over serious allegations of corruption and capture" against his deputy, "who serves solely at the discretion of Ramaphosa". 

This follows News24's Mashatile Unmasked series on a patronage network seemingly linked to the deputy president, and from which he allegedly benefits.

In the latest story, published on Monday, News24's investigations team reported that Mashatile's son-in-law Nceba Nonkwelo had purchased a R28.9-million home in Constantia, Cape Town, last year through one of his companies, Bilcosat. 

In the space of three months, between March and May 2023, Nonkwelo, through his business entities, funded the purchase of properties which would be for Mashatile's ultimate benefit, worth an astonishing R65.9-million.   

This is despite Nonkwelo owing roughly R7-million to the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) for a failed social housing project in Johannesburg. The GPF is an entity of the Gauteng government and falls under the provincial Department of Human Settlements.

Last week, News24 reported that the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements had paid Edwin Sodi's company, Blackhead Consulting, R828-million between 2014 and 2020 and that the Zondo Commission had heard evidence of payments totalling R370 000 being made directly to Mashatile by Sodi.   

Some of the payments from the department overlapped with the time that Mashatile was MEC for human settlements in Gauteng.

Last year, News24 reported that Mashatile regularly made use of two properties owned by businessmen with extensive public contracts – a R78-million Clifton home that corruption-accused Sodi owned, and a multimillion Fresnaye house owned by Ndavhe Mareda located in the same street as Ramaphosa's palatial home in the upmarket suburb.    

In a statement on Monday, DA leader John Steenhuisen "demanded" that Ramaphosa "fire Mashatile and direct the Special Investigating Unit to launch an urgent investigation into damning allegations of corruption and capture involving his Number Two". 

"The DA issues this call because, as corruption allegations have piled up against Mashatile in recent months, Ramaphosa has chosen to do what he always does when the people expect him to lead: he took the coward's way out," he added.

"Just like he did when the NSFAS corruption scandal broke around Minister Blade Nzimande a few weeks ago, Ramaphosa has again gone into hiding from difficult questions over his appointment and ongoing protection of Mashatile."

Steenhuisen said the deputy president – who Ramaphosa appoints – stood accused of grave acts of abuse of power and state capture.

"Anything less than decisive action will render Ramaphosa complicit," he said.

"If Ramaphosa cannot even act against capture and corruption perpetrated from inside the very same Union Buildings that he occupies, then why is he even there? Now that the people of South Africa know that his 'New Dawn' has been exposed for the empty lie that it always was, it is time for us to ask: what even is the point of Cyril Ramaphosa?" he added.

He said the "evidence strongly suggests that Mashatile is engaged in a web of corruption and state capture that potentially even exceeds similar misdeeds perpetrated during the era of Jacob Zuma". 

"During his testimony before the State Capture Commission, Ramaphosa promised that such crimes would not be repeated. However, by turning a blind eye to Mashatile's corruption, he has not only broken that promise, but he has also enabled Mashatile."

Steenhuisen added that they would give Ramaphosa until Thursday to "come out of hiding and take action against Mashatile".  

"If he fails to do so, the DA will again step in to lead while Ramaphosa cowers. We have prepared a comprehensive docket detailing the web of corruption that Mashatile has weaved. Further action will follow against both Ramaphosa and Mashatile if the President continues to cower."

The DA also announced, on Monday, that Steenhuisen would "challenge President Ramaphosa on his own doorstep over Paul Mashatile's corruption" by holding a press briefing at the Union Buildings on Friday.