Political analyst and author Prince Mashele faced a grilling when he appeared in an eNCA interview to set the record straight about the R12.5 million he received from ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba to finance his ‘unauthorised’ biography, The Outside.
Prince Mashele grilled on ‘The Outside’ R12.5 million sponsor
Since news broke of the controversial book, Mashele has faced criticism from the publishing industry, including political strategist and researcher Brutus Malada, who characterised the author’s approach as “academic thuggery,” per IOL News.
ActionSA has since responded to the allegations, stating that Mashele presented a funding plan for the book to Mashaba in October 2018. Recognising the challenges in raising the necessary funds, Mashaba agreed to personally finance the project with an initial amount of R12.5 million, albeit Mashele initially denied receiving this amount from the former mayor of Johannesburg.
In an interview with eNCA, which you can watch below, Mashele explained that he independently developed a budget that detailed the research activities required for the book’s completion.
He clarified that there was a loan agreement between himself and Mashaba, and he currently owes Mashaba the full R12.5 million.
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According to Mashele, the agreement stipulated that the research project would be funded, and royalties would serve as his repayment once the book was sold.
Only after Mashaba recouped his loan in full would Mashele be entitled to a share of the royalties. Mashele acknowledged that the previous books he authored did not achieve sales exceeding R12.5 million, but he emphasised that his arrangement with Mashaba guaranteed his compensation through royalties.
Addressing Malada’s criticisms, Mashele highlighted the publishers’ surprise at the book’s quality and the inclusion of sensitive information.
He mentioned that they even speculated that Mashaba and his family had contributed to the book. Mashele clarified that the title of the book, The Outside, was ultimately decided by the publisher, Jonathan Ball, as they believed it would be more attention-grabbing than his initial preference, ‘Herman Mashaba the outsider.’
In response to accusations of unethical behaviour, Mashele underscored that neither the publisher nor Mashaba had accused him of such conduct.
He questioned the basis for Malada’s claim, noting that Malada lacks a contract with Jonathan Ball publishers.
Furthermore, Mashele disclosed that the publisher has withdrawn their involvement and will return the manuscript to him.
He expressed his intention to take time to consider his next steps and determine how to proceed with his intellectual property.