By Sipho Tshabalala
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, the CEO of Naspers SA, is a figure whose life and career are marked by complexity and controversy. According to her, she has held shares in Naspers since childhood, a gift from her father for her birthday. This early connection to one of South Africa’s most influential media companies set the stage for a career deeply intertwined with the country’s complex socio-political landscape.
In the late eighties during Apartheid, Phuthi’s father, through his Jewish friends, bought a house in Calvin, Sandton. Her father, Mohale Mahanyele, was labelled an Askari, a term for those who collaborated with the apartheid regime. This is because he testified as Mr X against Winnie Mandela in the 1969 court case, while working for the US Information Service. Despite assurances of anonymity, he was exposed and ostracised within the anti-apartheid movement.
Mohale’s involvement with the apartheid government extended to his business ventures and in 1980 led the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce to meet Piet Koornhof, the apartheid minister of plural relations, who promised to transfer the sorghum beer industry to black ownership.
Ten years later, the government privatised National Sorghum Beer (NSB) to black investors, with Mohale at the helm. He then made donations to various political parties and organisations, including the ANC, IFP, Azapo, and the SA Civics Organisation, and supported numerous charitable causes. His past was seemingly forgiven as he integrated into the new elite.
He was so close to the new elite in such that in 1993, when the New Nation newspaper hosted an award ceremony, they honoured Mohale Mahanyele with the Businessman of the Year award.
Whilst Cyril Ramaphosa and Roelf Meyer won a joint Man of the Year Award. In that event, Mandela made the address and mentioned all three men in high regard. Also in the same year, Mahanyele was requested to deliver the Struggle hero Onkgopotse Abraham Tiro’s memorial lecture at the University of the North.
Phuthi’s career began under the shadow of nepotism, as for her first job, she was hired by her father to work for NSB. Her mother passed away when she was young, and her stepmother, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, served as the housing minister from 1995 to 2003 under Presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. She is from the 1976 generation, and Cyril Ramaphosa was her classmate at Turfloop University. In 2018 when Ramaphosa became the president of South Africa, he appointed Sankie as South Africa’s ambassador to Switzerland from 2018 until 2022; in 2022, he appointed her ambassador to Spain.
Phuthi’s close ties to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are evident also through her marriage to Sifiso Dabengwa, which became public in 2012. Their relationship became public when she was the CEO of Shanduka, which bought a stake in MTN Nigeria when Sifiso Dabengwa was the president and CEO of MTN. It raised eyebrows of a pillow talk deal which was a conflict of interest. What was worse is that during this period, Ramaphosa sat on the boards of both these companies. Phuthi also serves on the board of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.
Sifiso Dabengwa’s political donations have also raised eyebrows as he contributed R1.2 million to Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign, helping him to secure the ANC presidency in 2017, which ultimately led to Ramaphosa’s presidency of South Africa. Following this, Ramaphosa appointed Sifiso to the Eskom board, further solidifying the intricate web of personal and professional relationships that bind these key figures together.
When Ramaphosa became the South African deputy president, he merged Shanduka Group with the Pembani Group in 2015. Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, who was the Shanduka CEO, continued her involvement with the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, serving on its board and chaired the Kagiso Shanduka Trust (KST) Audit and Risk Committee in 2016, later joining the KST Board of Trustees in 2017.
This merger symbolised the consolidation of economic power within a small circle of influential individuals, showcasing the tight-knit nature of South Africa’s elite.
Naspers’ newspapers served as mouthpieces for the apartheid regime, justifying its brutal policies and covering up atrocities, starkly reminding us of the power of media in shaping public perception and policy. Koos Bekker, an apartheid prosecutor and Chairman of Naspers (News24), is part of this legacy of oppression. His role underscores the continuity of influence from the apartheid era into the present day.
Today, Naspers’ influence continues through its digital media arm, Media24, which includes the popular news platform News24. In 2019, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa was appointed as CEO of Naspers South Africa, further linking her role to the company’s ongoing legacy and evolution.
News24 is a news platform known for its favourable coverage of Ramaphosa and its critical stance towards his opponents. This connection between Phuthi and News24 demonstrates the intricate dance between media, politics, and personal relationships in South Africa.
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s journey has been anything but ordinary; her personal and professional ties blur the lines of ethics and influence. Her ascent within Naspers, a company with deep-rooted connections to apartheid, juxtaposed with her close relationship with President Ramaphosa, paints a complex picture of power dynamics in contemporary South Africa.
The story of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa and Naspers is not just about one woman’s rise to prominence but also about the enduring legacy of apartheid-era institutions and their influence on modern South Africa. It is a tale of how historical ties and personal relationships continue to shape the country’s socio-political landscape, revealing the persistent shadows of the past in the corridors of power today.
* Sipho Tshabalala is an independent writer and analyst.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.