Where was Paul Mashatile born? Paul Mashatile was born in Atteridgeville, a township west of Pretoria, in 1957. He began his political career in the 1980s as a member of the ANC’s youth league, where he was actively involved in the struggle against apartheid. He was arrested and detained multiple times during this period for his political activities. After the fall of apartheid in 1994, Mashatile was elected to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, where he served as the ANC’s Chief Whip. In 2000, he was appointed as the province’s MEC (Member of the Executive Council) for Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, a position he held until he was elected as Premier of Gauteng in 2008. He served as Premier of Gauteng from May 2008 to May 2014. As Premier, Mashatile was credited with implementing policies that helped to improve the province’s economic growth and social development. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Gauteng City-Region Observatory, which aimed to improve the coordination and planning of development in the province. After serving as Premier, Mashatile was appointed as the Minister of Arts and Culture, a position he held until 2019. In 2019, he was appointed as the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science, and Technology, a position he still holds today. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the development and promotion of the country’s cultural and creative industries, as well as the promotion of science and technology.