Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 14 October 2025 | 11:15 CAT

📸 Author Pieter du Toit and the cover of his explosive new book, “The Dark Prince,” which delves into Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s rise, influence networks, and political ambitions.

An explosive exposé has reignited scrutiny of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s rise to power, detailing the intricate web of patronage and influence surrounding one of South Africa’s most powerful political figures. Investigative Journalist Pieter du Toit, in his new book The Dark Prince, warns that Mashatile’s ascent could mark a dangerous return to patterns of corruption and factionalism reminiscent of the Zuma era.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Du Toit said his investigation stemmed from a need for transparency around a man who “could become the country’s next president.” As head of News24’s investigative unit, he explained, “If someone wants to become president, there needs to be transparency in their professional and business dealings. What we found wasn’t a pretty picture.”

Du Toit said the title The Dark Prince captures Mashatile’s opaque dealings and the influence networks he has built over decades in politics. “He is a patron sitting in the middle of concentric networks of influence businesspeople, politicians, friends, and family who have benefited from his senior position in the ANC and government,” he noted.

Tracing Mashatile’s journey from an anti-apartheid activist in Alexandra to the country’s second-highest office, Du Toit highlights the emergence of the so-called “Alex Mafia” a close-knit group of political and business figures whose fortunes have mirrored Mashatile’s own. “Many of them benefited from proximity to him, gaining access to government contracts and political figures,” he said.

Drawing parallels between Mashatile and former president Jacob Zuma, Du Toit warned that South Africa could be facing a “Zuma 2.0 moment” if history repeats itself. “Mashatile represents a faction of the ANC where it’s about rent-seeking and resource extraction. These patterns of corruption and patronage are repeating themselves,” he cautioned.

While the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continues to probe links between organized crime and state actors, Du Toit said the deputy president’s lavish lifestyle raises red flags. “He hasn’t been charged yet, but what we know is that his extravagant lifestyle is funded by those around him tenderpreneurs and family members who have benefited from government loans,” he explained.

As South Africa faces a changing political landscape and declining ANC dominance, The Dark Prince serves as both a biography and a warning. “We need to understand who Paul Mashatile is, what he’s done, and which networks he’ll bring with him to the Union Buildings, because the stakes for the country have never been higher,” Du Toit concluded.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Pieter Du Toit.