The findings of the report by public protector Thuli Madonsela into allegations of corruption and nepotism against communications minister Dina Pule has been delayed again following a problem with a witness.
The report was first meant to be released in March, but was delayed until the end of May due to “capacity constraints”, and has now been delayed further.
The public protector’s spokesman, Kgalalelo Masibi, says the report has again been delayed because “a witness cancelled an interview at the last minute”. Masibi won’t name the witness. “The plan is to give a provisional report to the relevant parties soon,” she says.
Pule is accused of allowing her alleged boyfriend, businessman Phosane Mngqibisa, to receive sponsorship money — a figure of R6m has been reported — from last year’s ICT Indaba in Cape Town, which was organised by the department of communications.
The public protector’s investigation is not the only probe Pule is facing. Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests is conducting its own formal investigation of allegations of a conflict of interest by the minister in relation to the ICT Indaba.
Pule appeared before the committee last month but its findings have not yet been made public.
In addition, Pule has been accused of appointing people to key government positions at Mngqibisa’s behest, but these accusations do not form part of the public protector and parliamentary investigations.
Democratic Alliance MP Marian Shinn has asked the South African Police Service to investigate Pule and Mngqibisa, along with SABC chief financial officer Gugu Duda and group CEO Lulama Mokhobo. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media
