The Sunday Times claims minister Dina Pule is in a relationship with Phosane Mngqibisa. (www.timeslive.co.za)
HumanIPO reported last week Pule’s spokesperson had denied the minister had ever apologised to the newspaper, but the the Sunday Times hit back yesterday saying it had documents relating to an expensive, public funded trip to New York with Mngqibisa and references to him as her “companion”.
Pule has previously denied she has a romantic relationship Mngqibisa, as well as other allegations of corruption levelled at her by the paper, and had already lodged a formal complaint to the Press Ombudsman prior to the latest allegations being published.
The Sunday Times article claims ZAR700,000 (US$76,500) was spent on an overseas trip with Mngqibisa, which included a stay in the Ritz-Carlton, New York, at ZAR35,000 (US$3,800) for two nights and ZAR10,000 (US$1,100) for luxury cars.
The holiday was allegedly paid for by public funds and in the travel documents, Pule put Mngqibisa down as a "companion".
