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The former national spokesperson of the African National Congress (ANC) Pule Mabe, his wife, and five others appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday on charges relating to tender fraud.
Mabe, his wife Mmatlhekelo, Loyiso Mkwana, Thandeka Mbasa, Matilda Gasela, and Abdullah Ismail face a string of charges including fraud, theft, contravention of Public Finance Management (PFMA) and Prevention of Organized Crime Act, money laundering and assisting others to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Gauteng Phindi Mjonondwane says the charges stem from the investigation conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks into a tender worth over R27 million that was allegedly unlawfully awarded to Enviro Mobi in March 2017 to supply 200 three-wheeled waste collection vehicles known as tuk-tuks.
As well as over R6 million in storage costs that were paid by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD).
"On 10 February 2017, GDARD advertised a tender inviting proposals for the integration and formalisation of the Gauteng waste Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) into the mainstream waste management economy. The Department received submissions from ten companies, including Enviro Mobi, a company in which Mabe was a director between September 2010 to August 2014. He was also a signatory on the business account of KGP Media Holdings, trading as Enviro Mobi," says Mjonondwane.
She adds the state alleges that Makwana, Mbassa, and Ismail, facilitated the appointment of Enviro Mobi, represented by Pule Mabe.
The State further alleges that, at the time of the tender award, these companies lacked the necessary expertise and that, Enviro Mobi allegedly indicated that it had no affiliation with any governmental official nor Member of Parliament.
"From March 2017, Enviro Mobi allegedly submitted invoices worth over R26 million, which were not accompanied by any supporting documentation detailing services rendered or work done and despite this, payments were allegedly authorised by Mkwana and Ismail. These invoices allegedly included payments for tuk-tuks that were paid without any proof of delivery."
The Auditor General found that GDARD misrepresented its Annual Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2018, indicating that payments worth over R27 million made by GDARD during the 2017/2018 financial year were made in advance but were incorrectly recorded in the GDARD accounting records as expenditure instead of advance payments.
The accused were released on bail of R30 000 each and will return to court on 25 March 2025 as the case was postponed for disclosure of the contents of the docket to all accused.
