Mashatile shooting claim raises eyebrows and political doubts

Last weekend, Deputy President Paul Mashatile attended a service at the KwaZulu-Sizabantu mission in KwaZulu-Natal.

- Stephen Grootes

The mission is famous because of the testimony of people who gave evidence that they had been abused at the mission, making this a curious place for Mashatile to visit.

Then, on Sunday, came the first reports about gunshots fired at Mashatile's car in Boksburg in March when he was travelling from an ANC meeting.

Curiously, the incident had happened several weeks previously, and yet no information entered the public domain until the Sunday of an Easter weekend, well known as a time when there is very little other news.

It's difficult to believe that in a political system where so many people leak so much information so often, a deputy president having shots fired at him was kept secret.

This may well lead to claims that the incident was not as serious as first claimed. Or that although something had happened, there was no suspicion that it was a political act or was aimed at hurting or killing Mashatile, or that someone believed it would be better to keep it quiet until now.