Former ANC spokesperson and current national executive committee (NEC) member, Pule Mabe, has decided to step aside following his involvement in a R27 million tender fraud case. Mabe, along with six co-accused, faces 16 counts of fraud, money laundering, and violations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) related to a 2017 contract with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The case centres around a tender awarded to KGP Media Holdings, trading as Enviro Mobi at the time, which was tasked with supplying 200 three-wheel waste management vehicles, known as kariki carts. The purpose of these vehicles was to support small and medium businesses in the waste management sector. The story was first reported by the Mail & Guardian in 2018.
The Charges Against Mabe
Mabe and his co-accused are alleged to have benefitted from prepayments totaling R27.5 million, which were made without the necessary documentation to support the work done, as required by the contract. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claims these payments were made for incomplete or unverified work, which constitutes a breach of contract.
According to the NPA’s charge sheet, the contract required payment only after the completion, review, and approval of deliverables. However, Enviro Mobi, the company linked to Mabe’s wife, Mmatlhekelo Mabe, submitted invoices without accompanying documentation. These invoices were issued just a day after the tender was awarded, and subsequent invoices followed in September and November of 2017.
One of the core arguments of the NPA is that Enviro Mobi failed to disclose its affiliation with Mabe, a sitting ANC MP at the time, which may have influenced the awarding of the contract.
Mabe’s Defence and Step-Aside Decision
In response to the charges, Mabe has categorically denied any wrongdoing, labelling the charges as “meritless and without substance.” He has indicated that he will plead not guilty when the case goes to trial. He further highlighted that the waste management vehicles were delivered, with former Gauteng Premier David Makhura launching the project publicly in Thembisa.
Mabe also expressed that the charges could trigger the ANC’s step-aside rule, which requires members facing formal criminal charges to relinquish their positions within the party. In line with this, Mabe has decided to step aside from his role as an NEC member, while continuing to maintain his innocence.
In court, Mabe disclosed that he earns R25,000 a month from a small business, emphasising the financial strain caused by the legal battle. Despite his plea of poverty, Mabe was granted R30,000 bail, along with his co-accused.
The Other Accused
Mabe is joined by six co-accused in the case, all of whom held significant roles in either the department or Enviro Mobi at the time. The accused include:
- Loyiso Mkwana, Chief Director of the Gauteng agriculture department;
- Thandeka Mbassa, former head of the department from March 2016 to August 2018;
- Matilda Gasela, Mbassa’s successor, now retired;
- Abdullah Ismail, the department’s Chief Financial Officer from 2014 to 2020;
- Tinyiko Mahuntsi, a director at KGP Media.
Mabe’s wife, Mmatlhekelo Mabe, who was a director of KGP Media at the time of the tender, is also facing charges. She contends that she has been implicated solely due to her marriage to Mabe and, like her husband, plans to plead not guilty.
Political Fallout and the Step-Aside Rule
Pule Mabe’s decision to step aside follows in the footsteps of other high-profile ANC members who have faced similar charges. Earlier this year, former sports minister Zizi Kodwa and former speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula resigned from their respective positions after being charged with fraud and corruption.
The ANC’s step-aside rule continues to serve as a measure to safeguard the party’s integrity, although it has sparked considerable debate within the organisation. Mabe’s decision will likely add to the ongoing discussions about the rule’s implications for those accused but not yet convicted of criminal activities.
Looking Ahead
All seven accused have been granted R30,000 bail each and are expected back in court in March 2024. As the trial progresses, it remains to be seen whether the case will add to the growing list of political scandals within the ANC or if Mabe and his co-accused will be exonerated.
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