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Pule Mabe, the former ANC spokesperson and national executive committee member, defended himself and his wife, Mmatlhekelo, at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court regarding allegations linked to a R27 million tender. He asserts that services were indeed delivered to the Gauteng government as part of this tender, for which he faces charges of fraud and money laundering.
Mabe recently stepped down from his position in the NEC as the case unfolded. Last week, he and his wife were granted R30,000 bail on 16 counts, including fraud and violations of the Public Finance Management Act. The charges relate to a tender awarded to Enviro Mobi by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in March 2017, while Mabe was a director of the company.
The tender involved the supply of 200 three-wheeled waste collection vehicles, commonly known as tuk-tuks, for waste pickers in Ekurhuleni. In an interview with SABC, Mabe refuted claims of non-delivery, stating, "My understanding is that 200 vehicles have been delivered to Suikerbos; 156 were delivered all at once, and four were part of a launch in Thembisa in 2017."
He emphasized that the court confirmed the delivery of the vehicles and criticized the non-delivery allegations as misleading. "Enviro Mobi reached out to the department multiple times for vehicle delivery, but the department had various reasons for not taking them, including storage constraints," he explained.
Mabe expressed his intent to clarify his role and address the accusations against him. He noted, "Enviro Mobi did not forcibly keep the vehicles; the department was informed they were available."
He also distanced himself from allegations concerning financial dealings involving his wife, asserting, "Enviro Mobi is not my company; I resigned. My wife provided services and has the corresponding invoices." He maintained that the transactions were legitimate, asking, "Were these monies the source of a crime? Certainly not."
Mabe stressed that the government received value for its investment, stating, "These claims are unfounded. When payments were made, the vehicles were present, and beneficiaries were trained to operate them. We conducted ourselves transparently."
As the case progresses, Mabe looks forward to presenting his evidence in court, appearing alongside six co-accused last week.