Provincial Chairperson of African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng Province since 2007.
Prior to his appointment as Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Mashatile has served as a Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture of the Republic of South Africa from 11 May 2009 to Oct 2010; Premier of Gauteng Province from 2008 to 2009; MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs in Gauteng from 2004 to 2008; MEC for Housing from 1999 to2004; MEC for Transport and Public Works from 1996 to 1998 and MEC for Safety between 1998 and 1999.
He is a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and has been active member of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas); founding member of the Alexandra Youth Congress in 1983; Co-founder of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) and participated in the co-ordination of the International Year of the Youth Campaign in 1985.
Mr Mashatile was an active member in the underground structures of the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP). He participated in and led many United Democratic Front (UDF) campaigns, including Million Signature Campaign, the rent boycott and the campaign to unban the ANC. He has served as Secretary of the UDF in the Southern Transvaal from 1985 to 1991.
He has been Harassed by the security police and was detained under the state of emergency in 1985 and again in 1987. He was held for almost four years without trial, and during that period went on hunger strike for 18 days as part of a nationwide hunger strike protest.
He was released from prison and placed under house arrest until the unbanning of the ANC in 1990. he had survived an attempt on his life by the apartheid regime when his home was bombed. Mr Mashatile has played a leading role in re-establishing the structures of the ANC and SACP in Gauteng after the unbanning in 1990. He had served as Secretary of the SACP in the Transvaal Region until 1992.
He has served as a Political Education Officer under the Chairpersonship of ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe;
served as a Provincial Secretary under Chairpersonship of ANC former Gauteng Premier Tokyo Sexwale; served as the Deputy Chairperson under the Chairpersonship of ANC former Gauteng Premier Mathole Motshekga; and he was a member of the Provincial Executive Committee under the Premiership of Mbhazima Shilowa.
Mr Mashatile was a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC from 1992 to 1998 and he had served as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and the leader.
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