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Pule’s spokesperson, Siza Qoza, told the Sunday Times the minister was the victim of a “politically motivated smear campaign [that] is characterised by people throwing mud at her in the hope that something will stick”.
It has been a tough few weeks for Pule, who was roundly blamed for the crumbling of the SABC board last week and criticised for her list of priorities at the ministry.
The allegations centre around Pule’s boyfriend Phosane Mngqibisa.
Nomakhaya Malebane, described as a former confidant and business partner of Gugu Duda, told the Sunday Times that Duda was given the position of chief financial officer at the SABC as a result of his friendship with Mngqibisa.
It was also suggested Pippa Green, who was among those who resigned from the SABC board leading to its dissolution, referred to the interference in her resignation letter.
It read: “We were told to submit three [names] including the name of a person whose CV came to us suspiciously late. This was the CV of the person whom the minister subsequently appointed and who turned out to be a major disappointment for the board.
"It is a tragedy to me that the public broadcaster is seen as a place that attracts people either for financial or political gain. In the conflicts that have recently occurred, I don't believe there has been much thought given to the staff of the SABC, many of whom, despite the turmoil, work long and hard hours to try to improve the programming, content and stability of the organisation."
Pule’s boyfriend is also alleged to have arranged the appointment of his relative, Lulama Mahoba, to the position of SABC chief executive.
On Sunday Marian Shinn, shadow minister of communications, re-iterated the Democatric Alliance’s call for President Jacob Zuma to sack Pule and put “the interests of the country ahead of his own political survival”
Shinn said: “It is clear that she lacks the leadership to effectively fulfil her duties as a member of cabinet. Her two presentations to the Portfolio Committee on Communications in the past week were disingenuous, self-pitying and often far from the truth. Her overview of the Department’s strategic plan was nothing short of pathetic, and lacked substance.
“Minister Pule must be removed before she does any further damage to the sector or begins to interfere, as she has done before, with the new SABC interim board in order to get her way with actions that were previously opposed by the board.”
