The Dark Prince
About this ebook
Having survived scandal, controversy and the Zuma years, Paul Mashatile has risen through the ranks to the doorstep of the presidency.
Over a political career spanning 30 years, he has successfully navigated the corruption and factionalism that the ANC has become known for.
Now he wants to take charge of the party – and the Union Buildings. The question is: Should he? Is Paul Mashatile suitable for the highest office?
He has been associated with the 'Alex Mafia' for more than 30 years. What influence do they have over Mashatile?
He leads a lavish lifestyle, living in luxury homes in Johannesburg and Cape Town. How were they acquired?
He has been outspoken about the economy, black economic empowerment, and South Africa's foreign relations. But does he have firm principles?
And how has his string of lovers affected his professional life?
This meticulously researched account by bestselling author Pieter du Toit answers these vital questions and reveals the dark truth about the ANC's crown prince.
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About the author
Pieter du Toit is a journalist at News24, South Africa’s foremost news publication. As assistant editor, he oversees the investigative team and writes a weekly column on politics and society. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and worked as a sub-editor at Volksblad in Bloemfontein, a crime reporter at Beeld in Pretoria, and the latter newspaper’s parliamentary correspondent in Cape Town for five years. After stints as news editor at Beeld and Netwerk24, he was appointed deputy editor and eventually editor of the now defunct Huffington Post South Africa. He has been with News24 since 2018. His previous books with Jonathan Ball Publishers are Enemy of the People: How Jacob Zuma Stole South Africa and How the People Fought Back (2017, with Adriaan Basson), The Stellenbosch Mafia: Inside the Billionaires’ Club (2019). The ANC Billionaires: Big Capital’s Gambit and the Rise of the Few (2022) and The Super Cadres: ANC Misrule in the Age of Deployment (2024). The Stellenbosch Mafia, The ANC Billionaires and The Super Cadres were bestsellers and occupied the number one position on the Nielsen BookScan sales charts. The Stellenbosch Mafia was voted the non-fiction book of the year by the South African Booksellers Association in 2020. The ANC Billionaires was included in the nonfiction longlist for the Sunday Times Literary Awards in 2023. Du Toit went to school and university in Stellenbosch. He lives in Johannesburg with his wife and two sons.
