Political commentator Prince Mashele says he was under no legal obligation to reveal to the publishers of his book The Outsider: Unauthorised Biography of Herman Mashaba that the political subject of the book funded it with R12.5-million. 

Mashele's book has stirred controversy after it emerged that Mashaba helped fund the book, advertised as an unauthorised biography. 

The book's publisher, Jonathan Ball Publishers, has since withdrawn it from the market, citing a "breach of trust" after Mashele failed to reveal that Mashaba financed its creation. 

In an interview with Talk Radio 702 on Tuesday, Mashele said he was under no legal obligation to reveal to Jonathan Ball Publishers that Mashaba provided the financing of the book. 

He also said the publishers had never asked him about the book's financing when a deal for publication was signed in 2022. 

Mashele said his legal agreement with Mashaba also meant that he could not reveal the financing of the book, and as such, he chose to keep this to himself. 

"I was under legal obligation not to reveal the funding sources. I did not reveal it to the public; I did not reveal it to Jonathan Ball," Mashele said. 

Earlier this year, the author lied during a television interview on eNCA with JJ Tabane that he "funds all his books" and that Mashaba had not been involved or helped finance this book.

Mashele said he had to lie because he was under contractual obligations with Mashaba. 

"If I had said it any other way, an impression would have been made that Herman funded the project."

Mashele had signed a contract with Mashaba in 2019 ahead of the start of his research project and agreement on the R12.5-million funding. 

Mashele admitted that Mashaba helped finance the book, but refused to reveal what he spent the funds on.

"Yes, he did fund the book with R12.5-million, and that money went into research; it was a four-year research project," Mashele said.

ActionSA member Brutus Malada, who revealed the information surrounding the book, said Mashele paid him R3.2-million for research. 

But Mashele refused to divulge the details of what the remainder of the millions of rand were spent on. He also declined to confirm whether R3.2-million was paid to Malada. 

"This impression that I pocketed R12.5-million, I wish I did. This was a multi-year project," Mashele said.