Paul Mashatile says while he has been friends with controversial businessman Edwin Sodi for years, he has not been to his house since being appointed Deputy President.
Sodi is facing a criminal trial for his involvement in the Free State asbestos contract. He has also received millions of rand from government contracts which were either awarded dubiously or where work was never adequately delivered.
Last month, News24 reported that Sodi was Mashatile’s benefactor who frequently opened his palatial Cape Town home for Mashatile’s private use between 2016 and 2020.
Yesterday, Mashatile said it was unfair for him to be questioned on his relationship with Sodi and that he had never been to his home since he became deputy president earlier this year.
“You expect me to say I don’t know him. I have known him for 20 years before he was even a businessman. Saying I don’t know him would be dishonest,” Mashatile said.
“It is unfair that once we assume political office, then you want us to distance ourselves from people we know. I have not been to his house since I’ve been deputy president. I have not been to anyone’s house. As deputy president I am surrounded by my work, I have a hectic schedule. I go to work and I go home. The people that surround me are the people that I work with.”
“I’ve never condoned any of the allegations [against Sodi]. They must be dealt with by law. But I cannot say I don’t know him. You cannot deny ever knowing someone.”
Mashatile was briefing the media on his 120 days in office.
Mashatile also revealed that he no longer believes that there is plot to oust him as SA’s deputy president.
This, he said, was after speaking to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who convinced him that no one in the ANC was trying to oust him.
Mashatile made headlines on Sunday, claiming he believed there were individuals looking to get rid of him. So convinced was he of the plot that he claimed those behind it wanted to get rid of him as early as next month.
Following reports on Sunday, Ramaphosa said there was no substance to the claims and that as president, he was the only one – outside of the party’s collective decision – who could fire Mashatile.
In an interview yesterday, Mashatile said after discussions with Ramaphosa and individuals he initially believed were behind the plot, he was informed that some of the cellphone numbers used to circulate messages about the alleged ousting were cloned.
“I am satisfied with what the president told me and after my investigation I am also satisfied that there is no plot to oust me,” he said.
Speaking on his 120 days in office Mashatile outlined his priorities saying he was focused on improving service delivery and access to farming in rural areas.
“We visited seven provinces where we witnessed how people use land for subsistence farming and commercial farming. We’ve seen some of the challenges like the need for resources to sustain farming land. The difficulty surrounds title deeds when it comes to human settlement land in the rural areas. We are looking to accelerate some the programmes related to funding farmers who are in desperate need of funds.”
He said government also wanted to improve developing rural areas to make them more attractive so that people are not forced to move to urban areas to seek better opportunities.
Responding to the incident involving his VIP protectors who assaulted motorists on the N1, Mashatile said he was transported to Soweto that day but he did not know when the incident took place.
“I travel in a convoy of cars, so I do not know if one of them pulled off when we were on our way there or on our way back. I wouldn't know. I did not see [the incident].”
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