Fraud-accused Pule Mabe steps aside from ‘active role’ in ANC NEC
Former ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe has confirmed that he has informed the party of his intention to step aside from his active roles in the national executive committee under the party’s step-aside rule.
Mabe and seven others, including his wife Mmatlhekelo Mabe, face charges of fraud charges relating to the alleged irregular awarding of a R27 million tender by the Gauteng department of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2017.
It's alleged Enviro Mobi, a company linked to Mabe, was irregularly awarded a tender to supply 200 motorised three-wheeler vehicles set to empower waste pickers in the Ekurhuleni metro.
Mabe, his wife, four former senior officials from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), heads of departments Thandeka Mbassa and Matilda Gasela, former Chief Financial Officer, Adullah Mohamed Ismail, the Chief Director-Sustainable Use of the Environment Loyiso Mkwana, and a former employee of KGP Media Holdings Tinyiko Mahuntsi, appeared before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge on Wednesday.
READ: Pule Mabe granted bail in tender fraud case
The group was cumulatively charged with 29 counts ranging from fraud, theft, the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act, money laundering and assisting another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities. Joined into the proceedings were two entities, namely, KGP (trading as Enviro Mobi) and Star Mass Direct (trading as Kariki Media Holdings).
Addressing media outside court, Mabe said he has written to ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula.
“Once charges were preferred against us today, to come and apply for bail together with my wife Mmatlhekelo and five others, we immediately begun the process of constructing our letter to the secretary-general of the ANC to advise the ANC that we will step aside from our active positions as members of the national executive committee. We will also, on the very same token, advise the integrity commission of the ANC of these charges.
“We are doing so not because we are guilty, but because in the 30 years that we have been members of the ANC we have understood the importance of carrying the resolutions of the ANC with everything that we do.”
The State alleges that Mkwana, Mbassa, and Ismail, facilitated the appointment of Enviro Mobi, represented by Pule Mabe.
It further alleges that, at the time of the tender award, the companies lacked the necessary expertise.
But Mabe denied that the company was inexperienced, instead lauding the three-wheelers as an innovation that has created thousands of jobs across the country.
“It was through this innovation that during COVID times we were able to create over 3,000 jobs in the Eastern Cape, over 1,000 jobs in Mpumalanga, and another 1,000 jobs in the North West province. We are proud of this innovation because the beneficiaries are there.”
In court, the State alleged that only 196 vehicles were delivered, 103 remain in storage, and only 91 were delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, in her bail affidavit, Mabe’s wife denied any wrongdoing, saying that she is not involved with any of the companies before court.
Her lawyer argued that the only link the state has made is that Mrs Mabe allegedly received funds from one of the company’s accounts.
“We are being told today that it constitutes a crime to give our wives monies earned legitimately in business deals. I was never part of any government department where I would have signed off. The Magistrate has already expressed herself on some matters including how some of the [State’s] preparations for today [were done]” Mabe said.
The former parliamentarian said he turned down the opportunity to return as an ANC MP to avoid embarrassment over the graft claims.
Mabe said he was willing to cooperate with authorities in his case.
The matter was postponed to March after the accused were granted bail of R30,000 each.
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