to comment on the privacy issue. The spokespeople for both
Magashule and Ramaphosa insisted that the then premier’s
relationship with his daughter was a ‘private’ matter. I believe that this
argument cannot be upheld in the face of strong indications that their
relationship, to a large extent, revolved around dubious deals involving
public funds and assets.
I have also been asked why people like Thoko should not be allowed
to do business with government. When it can be shown that their
dealings are free of nepotism and corruption, there should be no reason
to prohibit family members of public servants from dealing with the
state. Thoko was well within her rights to do business with government
provided her powerful father remained at a distance. But he did not,
and all indications are that her success was largely attributable to
Magashule’s meddling.
While studying at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Thoko did an
internship at a Free State provincial government contractor. Sources
alleged that Magashule ‘forced’ the company to take her on board.
According to one of her social media accounts, Thoko graduated from
UJ with an honours degree in logistics management in June 2014.
Posing next to her in her graduation photo was Thato Magashule, the
premier’s younger son.
Before her graduation, Thoko co-founded Botlokwa Holdings with
Joy Hlongwane, a relative of Fana Hlongwane, one of the controversial
figures at the centre of the Arms Deal saga. According to sources,
Thoko told Joy that she would secure work for their nascent company
in the Free State. The earliest documented indication that she made
good on her promise can be found in the Ngwathe local municipality’s
2013 / 14 annual report. According to this, the municipality seated in
nora
(Nora)
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