Deputy President Paul Mashatile is said to be worried that those in the ANC pushing for a coalition with the Democratic Alliance are trying to sacrifice him for DA leader John Steenhuisen.
This comes as the DA is said to have previously indicated to the ANC that they would want to have its leader take up the position of deputy president as part of its coalition talks.
Several people in Mashatile’s circle have told TimesLIVE Premium that the deputy president was concerned about the sudden push in the ANC for a tie-up with the DA given that they were interested in the deputy president position.
Mashatile, they said, had also noted that in its non-negotiables, the ANC only mentions the position of President Cyril Ramaphosa. The insiders have said the ANC has not defended Mashatile's position as deputy president.
This was an indication that the ANC was more than willing to sacrifice Mashatile, the insiders said.
This comes after Mashatile accused the DA of plotting with the media to oust him this week.
Speaking through his spokesperson Keith Khoza, Mashatile said there was even a move to revive corruption allegations against him, which he claims are part of the witch hunt.
“It is evident that both the DA and News24 are engaged in a process of ventilating and regurgitating allegations which they present as objective news and analysis,” said Khoza.
“The truth, however, is that this is a political campaign intended to malign the deputy president’s character and present the ANC, the party to which he belongs, in the most negative light for the sole purpose of producing political outcomes of News24’s liking and its political representative, the DA, especially at this time when the ANC is involved in shaping a government based on the will of the people.”
Both the DA and News24 have dismissed the allegations.
“We are not going to respond to any fake news. There has not even been any formal discussion yet,” Steenhuisen said.
News24 editor Adriaan Basson said the publication would continue to expose more questions on Mashatile’s suitability for high office.
“News24 has reported on and exposed the deputy president’s lavish lifestyle, which he cannot afford, since last June after he took office. Our team of investigative journalists uncovered this over months through original reporting. We don’t need politicians to do our work for us,” he said.
This comes amid tense negotiations between the DA and the ANC for a coalition agreement.
Political parties are left with only 11 days in a 14-day window to broker a deal to form a government before the first sitting of parliament.
The ANC is negotiating with several parties for a possible coalition after failing to secure an absolute majority at last week's polls.
It has taken 30 years and six national and provincial elections for the ANC to lose its majority. The party, which received 40% of the vote in last week’s polls, now has about two weeks to come to an agreement with other political parties to form a government.
The ANC has so far met with the DA, EFF, IFP and NFP this week as part of the negotiations.
The ANC is said to have rejected a proposal for a second deputy president. This proposal was made by the DA and the EFF.
This has made those around Mashatile more suspicious that this is aimed at having him serve as a “sacrificial lamb”.
Such are Mashatile’s suspicions that he believes there is now a renewed effort to revive the corruption allegations against him.
Mashatile's allies believe the corruption allegations are being revived to be used as a bargaining chip to install Steenhuisen should the coalition delegations come to an agreement.
“Why have they not said anything about the position of the deputy?” asked a strong Mashatile ally.
“We can see what they are trying to do. Now all of a sudden, those allegations about him are being brought back, we are receiving questions from a publication. The timing is very suspect I must say.”
Mashatile and ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe are said to have expressed their displeasure at a possible coalition with the DA. They are said to prefer a coalition with either the MK or the EFF.
The DA in February laid criminal charges against Mashatile following several allegations of corruption that were made against him in a series of articles by News24.
Steenhuisen had also called on Ramaphosa to fire Mashatile for the same allegations.
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