The man who would be king: the complex story of Paul Mashatile
He seemed to be a shoo-in as the next deputy president, but now it seems Cyril Ramaphosa is having doubts about him. Why?
Paul Mashatile, 61, finds himself just one step away from the Union Buildings after he was sworn in as an MP this month, with the growing public expectation that he will soon be the country's deputy president. There's a snag, however. It is up to President Cyril Ramaphosa's alone to officially invite him to the Union Buildings. Mashatile's supporters get more anxious by the day, wondering whether Ramaphosa does indeed plan to appoint him as his No 2. It looked almost like a done deal when David Mabuza, the present second in command, announced his resignation. Mabuza said he was making way for Mashatile, but then Ramaphosa's office played another card, saying the president had asked Mabuza to stay...
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