Dina Pule, South Africa’s communications minister, has denied Phosane Mngqibisa is her romantic partner, as was alleged by the Sunday Times, while she faces a probe by a parliamentary panel.
HumanIPO reported earlier this week Pule was accused of allowing Mngqibisa to influence appointments at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and other organisations. Pule denies all the accusations.
Eusebius McKaiser, a Talk 702 radio presenter, interviewed Pule and asked her if Mngqibisa is her boyfriend.
“No. I did say so before. The Sunday Times continues to run a political campaign with facts that are unfounded, with sources that have never come forward with any shred of evidence,” Pule said.
Pule added: “It is nine months now that the Sunday Times has been running this and I am very much astounded. I think at some point they must have breached a press code. They say these allegations as a fact, and I think it’s very unfortunate.”
Pule’s response is very much in line with a statement released by the Department of Communications earlier this week.
Earlier this year, Pule denied claims pertaining to her decision to grant Sentech control of set-top-boxes in the digital TV migration issue had benefitted her alleged boyfriend, Mngqibisa.
The Sunday times reported at the time Sentech was run by Mngqibisa’s business partner, Rudy Rashama.
Mngqibisa and Pule also came under fire for allegedly misappropriating funds, which were intended for the ICT Indaba, which took place in May 2011.
Furthermore the Sunday Times reported that an internal audit revealed Mngqibisa had “engineered getting friends and relatives on the boards of the Post Office, Sentech, and the SABC with the full knowledge of Pule”.
When McKaiser asked her about this Pule replied: “I know him (Mngqibisa) as a comrade, but I have nothing to do with him, and I am surprised that the Sunday Times wants me to take responsibility for activities of people that are happening outside, private people that I don’t know, and I have to say I know him, and they don’t bring a shred of evidence.”
Pule added: “They have quoted so many anonymous sources. I thought that the Sunday Times is a respected newspaper, but it looks like it’s a tabloid now. They rubbish my name, they demonize me.”
Dina Pule also faces a probe by a parliamentary panel, which has been set up to look into the minister’s conduct. The panel will be chaired by Ben Turok, a veteran African National Congress (ANC) member of parliament (MP).
The hearing is set for April 22 and will run until April 26, a decision taken by the committee in February, in line with paragraph 3.1 of the procedure for the investigation of complaints.
The complaints include nepotism following the numerous allegations against her and Mngqibisa.
