WATCH | Here’s why Ramaphosa refuses to speak for Mashatile on the diamond issue

Paul Mashatile

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has distanced himself from the controversy involving Paul Mashatile, stating that the deputy president must personally account for his failure to declare a diamond gifted to his wife by controversial businessman Louis Liebenberg.

“I can’t answer for him, and he has answers for all his matters.

“We will need to wait for him to provide answers to all these questions, and only he can answer them. So let’s wait for that, and then we take the process from there,” Ramaphosa told journalists on Friday after the swearing-in of acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia.

This comes after Parliament’s ethics committee fined Mashatile R10,000 for not disclosing the diamond in his financial interests register.

Mashatile claimed he was waiting for an appraisal before declaring it, but the committee ruled this was not a valid excuse.

The diamond, now with the NPA, is linked to diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg, who faces charges of fraud, theft, and racketeering.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has said that the R10,000 fine imposed Mashatile is insufficient and more probing is needed.

According to EWN, DA chief whip George Michalakis, who lodged the complaint, argued the matter raised serious concerns about Mashatile’s ties to Liebenberg.

Michalakis insisted that Mashatile must explain why he or his wife received the gift, whether it was returned, and clarify the diamond’s value.

The incident adds to growing scrutiny of Mashatile’s lavish lifestyle and connections to figures implicated in corruption, including Edwin Sodi.

He recently declared ownership of several luxury properties, including a R28.9 million Constantia estate and a R37 million home in Midrand, despite previous denials.

The Hawks are now investigating him following DA-laid criminal charges.

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