Deputy President Paul Mashatile has officially declared ownership of a R28.9 million mansion in the exclusive Constantia suburb of Cape Town, two years after his office denied any property ownership in the city and misled Parliament, according to News24 report.
The seven-bedroom luxury residence, purchased in 2023 by his son-in-law Nceba Nonkwelo through a company named Bilcosat (later renamed Duntaw Guest House), has sparked renewed scrutiny over Mashatile’s financial dealings and transparency.
The declaration, reported by News24, comes after investigations revealed that Mashatile allegedly benefits from properties acquired by Nonkwelo, including a R37 million mansion in Johannesburg’s Waterfall estate.
Despite earlier claims that the Constantia property was intended as an upmarket guest house, sources indicate that a Presidential Protection Service detail is stationed at the mansion, suggesting Mashatile or his immediate family uses it.
Nonkwelo has previously acknowledged that the property may be available to Mashatile occasionally but denies any wrongdoing, asserting the purchase was a legitimate business transaction funded by a loan.
The controversy is compounded by Nonkwelo’s reported R7 million debt to the Gauteng Partnership Fund for a failed housing project, raising questions about the source of funds for these high-value acquisitions.
The Democratic Alliance has filed criminal charges against Mashatile, citing allegations of corruption and nepotism, while the Hawks’ Public Sector Serious Corruption unit is investigating the origins of the funds used for the Constantia property.
Mashatile’s spokesperson has dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign, maintaining that the Deputy President owns no properties in Cape Town other than a house in Johannesburg’s Kelvin suburb, purchased through a bank loan.
However, the sudden declaration has fuelled public and political debate,