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Johannesburg - Club Taboo in Sandton is not a place where one would normally find needy black people.
But luckily, that is where Nathaniel Mashile, the ANC’s deputy secretary in Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga, found people in need recently and dished out R200 notes to DJs and patrons. He was attending sushi king Kenny Kunene’s birthday party, City Press reports.
Mashile says he works “very hard” and believes he should “share whatever I make with blacks”.
Mashile’s wife has defended him, saying he is even generous in their “matrimonial room” when she performs pole dances for him.
The video was shot at Kunene’s birthday party two weeks ago at Taboo, a Joburg nightclub.
Mashile is the director of 14 companies – at least two of which have won tenders from the provincial government.
When contacted by City Press, Mashile said: “Just leave me alone. I’ve not done anything wrong. You don’t write good stories. [You] try to destroy the ANC using my name.
“I work very hard. I thought that I should share whatever I make with blacks. All I can say to you is let’s work together in changing people’s lives by reporting on things that take South Africa forward.”
Earlier in the week Mashile told African Eye News Service that giving money to the needy “[is] my thing”.
“I have told my wife, who knows that those in need must be cared for. These boys [the DJs] were playing good music over there,” Mashile told the news service.
“They impressed me as I am somebody who loves music and I also have an events management company that deals with music. I also felt I could give what was in my pocket to the girls who were dancing too. Is that a crime? I’m a person who views it as immoral to watch somebody dancing and not share what you have with them when they are sharing their talent.”
Mashile’s wife, Unathi, told the news service: “I experience the same when I pole dance in our matrimonial room. He honestly was not splashing money.”
Since climbing the ladder in Ehlanzeni, Mashile has been spotted driving a BMW X5 and a Jaguar.
The ANC’s provincial spokesperson, Sibusiso Themba, said the party didn’t want to get involved in its members’ personal matters.
“The ANC does not send people out to misbehave and the ANC was not at Taboo. This cannot be an ANC matter, but our members must conduct themselves well wherever they are,” said Themba.
Mashile started his political career in the Mpumalanga ANC Youth League.
When he was first appointed to Ehlanzeni’s regional executive committee, a few ANC members cried foul and said no branch general meetings had been convened to elect him. He is considered an ally of Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza.
He’s a tender man
Two of Nathaniel Mashile’s companies, MBE Promotions and Aupas Trading, are doing business with government.
MBE was among 17 firms that got an Mpumalanga school nutrition tender two years ago.
It caused an outcry among 67 feeding scheme service providers when the requirements were changed in the tender document on 11 June 2012, giving them 25 days to comply.
They felt they were being set up to fail in favour of companies owned by politically connected individuals.
Aupas signed a three-year events management contract with the public works department in July.
