Pauli van Wyk and Micah Reddy’s new book convicts Herman Mashaba using only innuendo and supposition

ActionSA is surprised by a new book by Pauli van Wyk and Micah Reddy, “Malema: Money. Power. Patronage”, which compromises facts and fairness in pursuit of a political agenda, alleging that Herman Mashaba turned a blind eye to wrongdoing by the EFF in Johannesburg during his tenure as mayor.

Read more: Corrupted connections — Mashaba’s EFF deal, Malema’s rent seeking and an elaborate City Power racket

It is evident that the chapters in question relating to Mashaba were authored by Micah Reddy, given that the writing mirrors his style during his time at AmaBhungane, where questions and innuendo routinely formed the basis of allegations, with the word “allegedly” appearing in nearly every sentence to avoid legal consequences.

No fewer than 22 phrases are used to limit liability in relation to Mashaba, framing accusations as the views of others or qualifying them as allegations rather than statements of fact for which the authors could be held accountable.

Van Wyk and Reddy made no effort to obtain comment or a right of reply from Mashaba or ActionSA, while it is clear that political opponents of ActionSA, both in the DA and the ANC, are relied upon as “credible” sources.

It is very convenient that Mashaba, the only person standing in the way of Helen Zille’s mayoral ambitions in Johannesburg, should be the subject of a baseless hatchet job. It is a book that goes far out of its way to convict Mashaba using nothing but innuendo and supposition.

As far as facts are concerned, the book offers little of substance in relation to Mashaba. However, the following points can be addressed:

1. The claim that Mashaba set up the minority coalition with the EFF is false. At the time, to avoid conflicts of interest, the DA had a policy that mayors could not be involved in coalition negotiations from which they might benefit. The coalition was set up and approved by the DA’s Federal Executive Committee (FedEx), with most of the DA’s current leaders supporting the arrangement that was ultimately established. When Mashaba learnt of FedEx’s decision to enter a coalition dependent on EFF support, he expressed reservations, given the considerable policy differences between his own views and those of the EFF. This is a simple fact that could have been ascertained had a right of reply been extended.
2. Sicelo Xulu was not removed from City Power because of plans to replace him. He was a City Power CEO implicated in multiple forensic investigations and under whose leadership the widely discredited R2-billion smart meter contract with Vivian Reddy’s Edison Power Group was awarded. The removal of then DA MMC Anthony Still for failing to act on efforts to remove Xulu was not, as the book suggests, an indictment of Mashaba. Rather, it was clear evidence of Mashaba’s commitment to removing compromised senior officials from the city’s administration.
3. The alleged possession of an email claiming that Mashaba informed the EFF of details about the incoming City Power CEO cannot be verified, as we have never seen it. Even if valid, it would not be irregular. It was perfectly normal for Mashaba to consult with leaders of coalition parties about the appointments of senior officials in key service delivery departments. This was done with all coalition partners, including the EFF. The law makes such appointments a political process by requiring either council or mayoral committee approval, and no coalition leader would sensibly fail to engage coalition partners in this regard.
4. On the claim that former Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) CEO Sean Phillips was not protected from overreach by the JRA board, this is merely a recycling of discredited allegations. Phillips raised concerns with Mashaba that the JRA board wanted greater involvement in tender processes. When Mashaba met with the board, they assured him their interest was limited to information about tenders already awarded, to fulfil their legal fiduciary duties as a board. When Mashaba facilitated a meeting between both parties, Phillips refused to accept this and chose to resign.

These are examples of the verifiable facts that refute the claims advanced by Van Wyk and Reddy through innuendo, supposition and loaded questions.

It is precisely for his achievements that Mashaba has been targeted by political opponents across the spectrum, whose own records in Johannesburg range from negligible and non-existent to outright failure.

Former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane made malicious findings against Mashaba that were overturned in the high court at great expense. The DA has attempted to brand Mashaba as an “EFF mayor”— the very slant adopted in this book, not so coincidentally — despite campaigning extensively on his achievements during the 2019 election.

The ANC has also sought to reverse most of Mashaba’s reforms, including dismantling the anti-corruption unit and rescinding its reports.

Regrettably, this new book has become a weapon of failed parties to advance their political interests in Johannesburg by attempting to tarnish the record of the only mayor who demonstrably improved the city. DM 

Michael Beaumont is the National Chairperson of ActionSA.