‘No Illegal Contracts Awarded to My Children’: Mashatile Hits Back at DA Tender Allegations

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied knowing that his children are benefiting from irregularly awarded government tendersand challenged the DA to bring him proof.

The Question

During a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday, DA MP Mark Burke asked about a R49 million Gauteng hospital contract allegedly awarded to Mashatile’s children.

“When it comes to Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), is the R49 million Gauteng hospital contract, awarded to your children, not further proof that BEE stands for Biased Elite Empowerment?”

Mashatile’s Response

Mashatile said he was not sure what Burke was talking about and did not know what contract he was referring to.

“Let me say this, honourable Speaker, what we do as government is to ensure that when we empower people, we do it properly, no corruption, no favouritism anywhere.”

“If there are children of the Deputy President somewhere who are favoured by some government department, I will oppose it myself if I find out that there is such a thing.”

“At the moment, honourable member, there is no illegal or irregular contract which was ever allocated to my children that I know of. If you do have information, you can come and give it to me.”

The B-BBEE Context

Earlier, responding to a question from ANC MP Malusi Gigaba, Mashatile said B-BBEE has opened doors for many previously disadvantaged people.

• Since 2021, R94 billion has been invested in black-owned enterprises

• R72 billion in skills development

• R600 billion in shared transactions

“We are now strengthening regulation and stricter rules to ensure compliance. We must move from compliance to delivery.”

Fronting as ‘Economic Sabotage’

Patriotic Alliance MP Marlon Daniels raised the issue of fronting.

Mashatile responded: “I did say earlier that I likened it to economic sabotage. If people are fronting, it means they are not really part of the economy. They are not doing the work. They are not building any businesses. They are sitting somewhere, but their names are used. In fact, it must be a crime that is treated seriously.”

He said legislation must be tightened to impose strong penalties to deter fronting.

“We want people to run real businesses and ensure we can measure that they run businesses, and not do desktop analysis and say ‘there are so many blacks involved and own businesses’, and we don’t see it. We need to see those businesses.”

He added that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition must ensure officials visit businesses and verify whether black people run them as claimed.

Abandoning B-BBEE Not an Option

Responding to another question from DA Deputy Chief Whip Baxolile Nodada, Mashatile said abandoning B-BBEE was not an option.

“B-BBEE is a necessary tool for transformation, essential for achieving economic equality, and we’re going to proceed to implement it.”

The Bottom Line

Mashatile’s message was clear: bring me proof, or stop making allegations.

He condemned fronting as economic sabotage, called for stronger penalties, and insisted B-BBEE must move from compliance to delivery.

But the question from Burke lingersand the DA will be watching.

{Source: IOL}

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