Pule Mabe steps aside from ANC NEC, disputes corruption charges

Former ANC national spokesperson and national executive committee member Pule Mabe announced that he had stepped aside from the structure after his court appearance on charges of corruption. 

Speaking to journalists shortly after he was granted bail, Mabe said he had informed ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula of his intention to step aside from the NEC on Sunday. 

Mabe appeared with six other accused in the Palm Ridge specialised commercial crimes court on Wednesday. 

The matter is in connection with a tender of about R27m awarded to Enviro-Mobi in March 2017 by the Gauteng department of agriculture and rural development.

Hawks spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo said the accused were arrested after a forensic report by the Special Investigating Unit into a tender issued in October 2016 by the department requesting proposals to integrate and formalise waste operatives into the mainstream waste management economy.

It was established during the investigation that R25m was paid to Enviro-Mobi for 200 motorised three-wheelers, “though all goods were in the possession of the service provider” and none had been handed over.

Speaking to the media outside the courthouse, Mabe denied committing a crime. He said he was being persecuted for having given his wife legitimate money to enter into a business. 

Mabe said he resigned his directorship from Enviro-Mobi when he took a position in parliament. 

He said the SIU had gone out of its way to create a case against him which didn't exist. 

“We trust in the ability of the investigating team; we also have confidence in the prosecutorial team that in doing their work they will make sure that they apply themselves to the correct facts put before them.”

Mabe said there was nothing wrong with the motorised three-wheeler innovation, adding that being accused of a crime did not mean that one was guilty. 

Mabe added that he had written to Mbalula to advise the ANC that he would abide by the step aside rule. 

“We will also advise the integrity commission of the ANC of these charges. We are doing so not because we are guilty, we are doing so because over the past 30 years that we have been members of the ANC, we have understood the importance of carrying resolutions of the ANC with everything else that we do. A renewed ANC requires us to position ourselves differently to know that once charged ... [with]serious crimes we must not make the life of the ANC difficult.” 

Mabe contested for the treasurer general position at the ANC's last elective conference. Some say that he would have been elected but he shared a huge chunk of his support with Mzwandile Masina who declined nomination just as delegates began voting. 

Mabe was previously the ANC Youth League treasurer general during Julius Malema's term. 

He became the party's national spokesperson during Ace Magashule's tenure and was said to be aligned with the expelled leader. However, later on, Mabe dissociated himself from the Magashule faction and found himself drawing closer to President Cyril Ramaphosa's camp. 

TimesLIVE