{"id":33744,"date":"2013-03-18T09:36:02","date_gmt":"2013-03-18T07:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=33744"},"modified":"2013-03-18T10:04:30","modified_gmt":"2013-03-18T08:04:30","slug":"pule-rejects-tender-accusations-with-contempt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/33744\/pule-rejects-tender-accusations-with-contempt\/","title":{"rendered":"Pule rejects tender accusations with contempt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Communications minister Dina Pule<\/a> has rejected allegations of tender corruption \u201cwith contempt\u201d.<\/p>\n

The minister was again the focus in several Sunday papers amid continued problems faced by state broadcaster, the SABC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In an interview with John Robbie on Talk Radio 702 last week, Pule was questioned over allegations of corruption involving her partner Phosane Mngqibisa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In February, The Sunday Times reported that\u00a0Mngqibisa was paid R6-million in management fees for the 2012\u00a0ICT Indaba<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The report further suggests that the conference organisers were forced by the Department of Communications (DoC<\/a>) to hire Mngqibisa.<\/p>\n

The Sunday Times cited two forensic documents which showed that Mngqibisa was not really involved in the organisation of the event, despite being paid R6-million.<\/p>\n

Pule said: \u201cI want to reject this with the contempt it deserves. It\u2019s very unfortunate that people will run stories about me personally, which are very wrong\u2026totally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pule complained that she did not have a platform to defend herself, \u201cbecause they (media) have a platform, and they continue to run the same story\u2026which is a lie\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, the minister said that she would have her opportunity to respond at some point at the ethics committee in Parliament.<\/p>\n

She noted that the case was currently with the Public Protector. \u201cI am actually cooperating with the Public Protector and with Parliament. \u00a0But I want to reject it, it\u2019s a lie,\u201d Pule said.<\/p>\n

The minister stressed that in the process of tenders, she did not even sit on any committee in government which processed tenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are committees where the minister doesn\u2019t even sit. I can\u2019t at the end when they say they have appointed so and so to do this\u2026I don\u2019t even know how they do this,\u201d Pule said.<\/p>\n

Legal action<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pule said she would await the outcomes of \u00a0the public protector and ethics committee processes before deciding on what action to take.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of it I will take a decision, because I don\u2019t think it is right what they have done\u2026.they have pushed me to a point where I must come and defend myself, and from what? From nonsense,\u201d Pule said.<\/p>\n

She said she would respect government\u2019s processes before defending herself publically, or taking legal action. \u201cI am waiting for a moment where I can do that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Marian<\/a>

DA Minister of Communications, Marian Shinn<\/p><\/div>\n

Calls for the axe<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0DA<\/a>\u00a0on Sunday (17 March 2013) again called for the minister to be sacked.<\/p>\n

“The latest revelations in the on-going saga of communications minister Dina Pule\u2019s cronyism and self-enrichment leaves President Zuma with no other option but to fire her. The President can no longer sit back and make a mockery of the South African public by allowing Minister Pule to stay in Cabinet.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The DA noted the\u00a0article in the Sunday Independent regarding Pule’s calls for Gugu Duda to be CFO of the SABC.<\/p>\n

Duda was suspended in September 2012 for signing off a R3-million sponsorship deal for the now-controversial ICT Indaba which reportedly\u00a0benefited\u00a0Mngqibisa.<\/p>\n

“This should be the last straw in what has been the disastrous tenure of Minister Pule, which has included:<\/p>\n