The recently released book The Stellenbosch Mafia – Inside the Billionaires’ Club, authored by News24 Assistant editor, Pieter du Toit, ventures on unpacking the complex nature of the so-called ‘Stellenbosch Mafia’.
‘Stellenbosch Mafia’ is a term which has, according to Du Toit, recently “become politically loaded,” due to the disinformation campaign run by UK based PR-company, Bell Pottinger, in 2016 and 2017. This disinformation campaign formed part of the Gupta family’s mission to hide their growing enrichment at the expense of South African taxpayers and citizens.
Copies of The Stellenbosch Mafia – Inside the Billionaires’ Club written by Pieter du Toit for sale at the book launch in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Ingrid Liebe Klückow
During the book launch in Stellenbosch on Thursday 1 August, Du Toit was in discussion with his colleague, friend and News24’s Editor-in-Chief, Adriaan Basson. Despite the informal nature of their discussion, the content which was shared by Du Toit and the participation from the crowd was loaded with insight.
The members of the ‘Stellenbosch Mafia’ have certain factors in common; most of them are Afrikaans and all of them are white males living in or near Stellenbosch. All members studied at Stellenbosch University (SU) and most of them have called Wilgenhof Men’s residence their home during their time at SU.
News24 Assistant editor and author of The Stellenbosch Mafia – Inside the Billionaires’ Club ,Pieter du Toit, in discussion with Editor-in-Chief of News24 , Adriaan Basson, at the book launch in Stellenbosch on Thursday. PHOTO: Ingrid Liebe Klückow
The book is not an exposé of the ‘Mafia’ but it does sketch the interrelated nature of politics and commerce within South Africa. According to Du Toit, the rich will always have an interest in the political climate of South Africa, as it influences the state of their businesses.
The book draws a clear distinction between the old money, of which the Rupert family is an example and the new money of the “inkommers.” The term “inkommers” is widely used in Stellenbosch to label people who weren’t born or raised in Stellenbosch. According to Basson, this is a basic act of “othering” and was experienced by him during his undergraduate studies at SU.
Throughout the pages of the book, it becomes clear that former CEO of Steinhoff International, Markus Jooste, who has been linked to the controversy concerning the dubious accounting practices of Steinhoff, was seen as an “inkommer.”
Copies of The Stellenbosch Mafia – Inside the Billionaires’ Club written by Pieter du Toit for sale at the book launch in Stellenbosch on Thursday 1 August . PHOTO: Ingrid Liebe Klückow
During the discussion, Du Toit admitted that the fact that he grew up in Stellenbosch, attended Paul Roos Gymnasium and can call SU his Alma mater, could have played a role in the access he was granted to the members of the Mafia. During the interviews with the members of the Mafia, it became evident to Du Toit that many of the members are “quite prickly to public criticism.”
Susan Smit (67), who attended the discussion and who is a member of the Stellenbosch community, stated, “reading the book helped in constructing my own well-informed opinion regarding the billionaires who share the streets of Stellenbosch with me.”
Through the investigation, Du Toit found that the “Stellenbosch Mafia” is nothing more than a group of businessmen who have strong ties with one another due to the common and very sturdy network they share.