He was detained without trial from 1985-1989, and participated in a nationwide protest by engaging in an 18-day hunger strike. He has held various administrative positions in Guateng province, including serving in its legislature as Leader of the House. Mashatile was replaced as Premier by Nomvula Mokonyane on 6 May 2009.
He is currently Member of the Executive Council for Human Settlements and Company-operative Governance in the Gauteng Legislature, as well as provincial chairperson of the African National Congress (African National Congress) in Gauteng province. When the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party were unbanned in 1990, he helped re-establish them and continued to organize on their behalf. He is the former province in South Africa and a member of the African National Congress.
Mashatile replaced Mbhazima Shilowa on 7 October 2008, after Shilowa resigned in protest against the decision of the African National Congress to remove President Thabo Mbeki from office.
