EFF and SACP Condemn Paul Mashatile’s Assassination Attempt

• The Economic Freedom Fighters and the South African Communist Party (SACP) were worried that deputy president Paul Mashatile was a victim of an assassination attempt
• Mashatile was on his way home from the African National Congress's National Executive Committee meeting in March 2025 when his car was shot at three times
• the Red Berets said the silence from the State Security agencies and the SACP shared its view on the assassination attempt

Tebogo Mokwena, an experienced Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed political and traditional leadership coverage to Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for seven years in South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG— The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) slammed deputy president Paul Mashatile's assassination attempt as a significant threat to national security.

What did the EFF say about Mashatile's assassination attempt?

The Red Berets posted a statement in its @EFFSouthAfrica X account. The party said that what was equally troubling was the fact that the Presidency and the country's state security agencies have been silent on the alleged incident. The party said the public had the right to be informed about threats to national leaders. It called for transparency in such a grave time.

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"While internal dynamics within the African National Congress (ANC) may be complex due to extreme factionalism, the safety and security of our nation's leadership transcend partisan lines. We, therefore, urge the relevant authorities to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding this incident and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice," the party said.

Read the X statement here:

What did the SACP say?

The South African Communist Party (SACP) also released a statement which journalist Matshidiso Madia posted on her @tshidi_lee X account. The party said it was concerned that the attack happened and cautioned against the degeneration of political life in the country into violence, lawlessness and bloodshed.

The party said it is imperative that those responsible are identified and brought to justice promptly.

Read the X statement here:

In 2024, Mashatile collapsed while delivering a keynote address at the N'wamitwa Day celebrations. Towards the end of his speech, he became dizzy and started to fall. His security details caught him before he could hit the ground.

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South Africans comment on the EFF's take

Netizens commenting on the EFF's tweet shared their views.

Mzwenhlanhla Dlamini asked:

"Why are all Ramaphosa's deputies constantly sick or weak? Who wants to remove Mashatile? We risk a president clinging to power. Remember, the ANC has no term limits."

Stanton Govender said:

"When the late Minister Pravin Gordhan passed away, you did not know how to show respect beyond partisan lines, especially for a man who dedicated his life to freedom for the masses."

Karabo said:

"In a normal country, the president and state security ministers were supposed to address the nation. This is a serious incident that needs to be addressed by the relevant people."

Siyabonga Mzondo said:

"You're getting yourselves involved in ANC fictional politics as usual instead of growing EFF votes."

Mr Worldwide said:

"I told you guys that this this is no longer the same since Floyd Shivambu left. This thing is running out our ideas and dying a natural death. This statement looks like it's from a certain faction of the ANC."

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What you need to know about Paul Mashatile

Paul Shipokosa Mashatile is a South African politician currently serving as Deputy President of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). A former anti-apartheid activist in the United Democratic Front, he has held numerous leadership roles in government over the years.

He served as Premier of Gauteng from 2008 to 2009 and was Minister of Arts and Culture in President Jacob Zuma’s first Cabinet between 2010 and 2014. Mashatile also held various portfolios in the Gauteng provincial government from 1996 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2018.

Paul Mashatile hangs out with friends

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a video of Mashatile with friends and loved ones went viral. The video showed Mashatile and his wife spending leisure time with his friends and associates.

the clip, which was widely shared on social media, elicited different responses from members of the public. Some criticised the video and others defended him.

Source: Briefly News