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Fourteen years ago, after being implicated as the ringleader of the so-called 'Alex Mafia', Paul Mashatile's political career was on the rocks. But the man who works in the shadows is very much back in the thick of things, writes Adriaan Basson.
History has a wicked sense of irony: when the ANC goes to its national elective conference in December, treasurer-general Paul Mashatile could be the only member of the party's top six without a cloud of criminality hanging over his head.
President Cyril Ramaphosa goes to Nasrec with the Phala Phala albatross around his neck (assuming the authorities don't finalise their investigation by then, which is safe to assume); Deputy President David Mabuza has failed to shake off years of allegations of corruption and abuse of power against him in Mpumalanga; ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe should be investigated for corruption, said Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, for accepting free security installations from Bosasa; and suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule is on trial for corruption in the so-called Free State asbestos case.
