Cape Town — Former African National Congress (ANC) Pule Mabe has announced his resignation from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) following the charges levelled against him.
Mabe appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court along with six co-accused following allegations of corruption linked to an R27 million tender that was awarded to his company, Enviro-Mobi.
Following his court appearance, Mabe revealed to the media that he would resign from the party, Newzroom Afrika reported.
“We immediately began the process of constructing a letter to the ANC’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, to advise that ANC that we will step aside from our active positions as members of the NEC,” he said.
“On the same token, we advised the integrity commission of the African National Congress of these charges that have been preferred against us. We are not doing so 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,” he added.
[BREAKING NEWS] Pule Mabe steps aside as ANC NEC member. This comes after the former spokesperson appeared in court today facing R27 million tender corruption charges.
Tune into #Newzroom405 for more. pic.twitter.com/hBsuzl7AXy
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) October 16, 2024
As reported by EWN, Mabe said he felt as though he was being targeted, and said stepping aside from the NEC wouldn’t significantly impact his life.
“Effectively I was already aside. I don’t have a big responsibility in the ANC that requires me to be going all over. I’m not chairing a sub-committee, I’m not in the NWC [national working committee] and I’m not a member of the National Assembly,” he said.
Mabe also came to the defence of his wife, Mmatlhekelo Elsie Mabe, who is the co-accused in the case, and said she was not involved in the case, The Citizen reported.
“Who is supposed to take care of her? When I spent sleepless nights working at home and being paid for my hard-earned labour, she became the rightful beneficiary, her and my kids. There’s nothing wrong [about that] because we have not stolen from anyone,” he said.
Mabe, his wife, and business associate Tinyiko Mahuntsi were each granted bail of R30 000. Among his co-accused are Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development Department chief director Loyiso Mkwana, former department HODs Thandeka Mbassa and Matilda Gasela, and former department chief financial officer (CFO) Abdullah Mohamed Ismail were also released on the same bail amount.
The tender was aimed at supplying 200 three-wheeler vehicles intended for use by waste pickers employed by the Ekurhuleni Municipality. However, only four of the 196 tuk-tuks, most of which allegedly had “mechanical difficulties”, were not delivered to the department.
The state revealed that although Mabe resigned as the director of Enviro-Mobi, he still controlled the company’s bank account.
Mabe and his co-accused were granted R30,000 bail each and are set to return to court on 25 March next year.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
