This morning, DP Paul Mashatile was sworn in as the Acting President of South Africa by Constitutional Court Justice Nonkosi Zoliswa Mhlantla.
Story Summary:
- Deputy President Paul Mashatile was sworn in as the Acting President of South Africa on Thursday.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa is on a working visit to Angola.
- As Acting President, Mashatile’s duties include ensuring continuity of government, making executive decisions, and signing bills into law.
- Mashatile has been implicated in several corruption allegations and state capture, including irregularities in tender allocations and questionable financial dealings within the ANC.
PICTURES: Paul Mashatile Sworn-In as Acting President of South Africa
Mashatile expressed his commitment to uphold the duties of the presidency, while Cyril Ramaphosa is on a working visit to Angola.
As Acting President, the highest office in the land, Mashatile’s duties and powers are governed by South African laws, specifically the Constitution.
RelatedPosts
The role of the Acting President includes ensuring the continuity of government operations, making critical decisions in the absence of the President, and representing the nation in various capacities.
The Acting President has the authority to sign bills into law, make executive decisions, and oversee the functioning of government ministries.
In his statement, Mashatile said:
“This morning I was sworn in by Constitutional Court Justice Nonkosi Zoliswa Mhlantla as the Acting President of the Republic of South Africa. I am honoured to serve in this capacity and committed to maintaining the continuity and stability of our nation’s governance.”
Mashatile and allegations of state capture
Paul Mashatile, despite his high-ranking political career, has not been immune to controversy.
He has been linked to several allegations of corruption and state capture. As reported by Daily Maverick, Mashatile was named in the Zondo Commission’s reports, which investigated extensive corruption and the undue influence of private interests on the South African state, often referred to as state capture.
During his tenure as the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Mashatile faced accusations of irregularities in the allocation of government contracts.
It was alleged that he favoured certain companies with close ties to him, awarding them tenders worth millions of rands.
One significant case involved a housing project where a company linked to Mashatile’s associates received a lucrative contract without following proper procurement procedures.
Mashatile’s name also surfaced in connection with the controversial Gupta family.
The Zondo Commission highlighted instances where Mashatile allegedly facilitated meetings between the Guptas and government officials to influence state decisions and secure favourable deals for Gupta-owned businesses.
These interactions were part of the broader state capture narrative, where private interests wielded undue influence over public institutions to the detriment of the South African state.
