The delay in disclosing the shooting targeting Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s vehicle has fuelled public skepticism and highlighted concerns over South Africa’s political stability.
Image: ANC/X
Professor Jéan Steyn, a criminal justice expert at the University of Zululand, said the timing and secrecy surrounding Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s convoy shooting could point to deeper political tensions within the ANC.
“The timing of the incident, post-African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, and its delayed disclosure could intimate internal ANC dynamics or factionalism,” Steyn told IOL News on Tuesday.
Mashatile is widely expected to contest for the upcoming ANC presidency in 2027.
IOL News previously reported that Mashatile’s official vehicle was shot at earlier this month while he was travelling home from the ANC NEC meeting in Boksburg.
His spokesperson, Keith Khoza, said Mashatile was unharmed and that the matter was under police investigation.
South African Police Service (SAPS) national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the SAPS does not discuss or comment on the safety and security of the President, Deputy President, or Cabinet members.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over the safety of senior government officials.
Mashatile said he initially thought stones hit his vehicle but later realised the damage was consistent with gunfire.
“What really happened is that as I was driving from the NEC, my car was hit by what initially I thought were stones and when we got home, the protector said the impact was too much. They want to take it for checking because you know a bulletproof windscreen is too strong to be damaged and that’s why they are doing the investigation,” he said.
However, the silence from both the SAPS and Mashatile’s office after the incident fuelled speculation on social media, with some users alleging that the shooting was staged.
Steyn said the delay in public disclosure raises potential red flags, including concerns about transparency, security vulnerabilities, political sensitivity, and investigative integrity.
“The three-week delay suggests a possible breakdown in communication protocols or a deliberate suppression of information,” Steyn said.
He added that transparency is critical to maintaining public trust.
Steyn warned that the silence could also create public suspicion, especially given South Africa’s history of political violence and intrigue.
He, however, acknowledged claims circulating online that the shooting might have been staged but said there is no credible evidence to support such allegations.
Steyn said, based on available information, it is highly probable that a shooting occurred, even though the intent and perpetrators remain unclear.
"Mashatile’s bulletproof vehicle mitigated the threat, but the busy N12 highway could offer opportunities for such attacks. The absence of immediate public reporting may reflect caution in investigation rather than foul play," he told IOL News.
Meanwhile, the ANC said it would not conduct a separate investigation into the shooting. Party national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the ANC would leave the matter to law enforcement authorities.
“The deputy president keeps updating me about the incident. We are leaving everything to the state to investigate. We don't want to interfere,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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