South Africa’s Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, has come under fire after declaring ownership of a R28.9 million Constantia estate in Cape Town, which he previously said was owned by his son-in-law’s company, alongside another luxury property in Waterfall, Midrand, valued at R37 million, despite earning R3.16 million annually. The properties were listed in the 2025 Parliamentary Register of Members’ Interests, raising questions about how a public servant could afford such assets on his official salary.
Mashatile’s declarations mark a shift from last year’s register, where he listed smaller properties in Midrand and Sandton. This year, he disclosed three large estates: a 4,000-square-meter property in Constantia, a 9,300-square-meter home in Waterfall, and a 3,000-square-meter property in Kelvin, Johannesburg. The Constantia estate, reportedly purchased in 2023 by his son-in-law, Nceba Nonkwelo, through Nonkwelo Investments, was previously denied by Mashatile’s office as his own. His spokesperson, Keith Khoza, clarified that the Waterfall property was jointly purchased by Mashatile’s sons, Thabiso Mashatile and Tinyiko Mvelase, and Nonkwelo through a bank loan, used as a family residence for security reasons. Khoza also denied allegations that Mashatile’s sons received government tenders under his oversight, stating no such contracts were awarded or investigated.
Public suspicion has been fueled by a 2023 investigation into loans from the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) to Nonkwelo’s company, totaling R7.2 million for a housing project that was never completed. The investigation, ordered by Gauteng MEC Lebogang Maile, found governance issues at the GPF but cleared Mashatile and Nonkwelo of wrongdoing. However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for further probes, filing criminal charges against Mashatile in February 2024, alleging corruption and nepotism.
The Hawks are currently investigating corruption claims related to the R28.9 million Constantia property purchase, though national spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo clarified that no specific individual is targeted until charges are formalized. The DA’s John Steenhuisen highlighted Nonkwelo’s company owing R7 million to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements for a failed Alexandra housing project, intensifying scrutiny.
Mashatile’s office has dismissed the allegations as part of a smear campaign, with Khoza emphasizing Nonkwelo’s entrepreneurial background and denying ties to government tenders, except for the 2013 GPF loan issued when he was Minister of Arts and Culture, not in Gauteng. Despite these defenses, public debate continues over the transparency of Mashatile’s wealth, with critics questioning how his lifestyle aligns with his official earnings and taxpayer-funded benefits, including housing, vehicles, and VIP protection. The controversy has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with some users accusing Mashatile of misleading parliament and questioning the source of funds for his family’s property acquisitions. As investigations proceed, the deputy president’s declarations remain a focal point of public and political concern.
