Mabe has suffered 'emotional trauma' for being dragged back and forth to court with wife, says lawyer

JOHANNESBURG – The former African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, has suffered “emotional trauma” from being dragged back and forth to court with his wife, Hleki.

On Tuesday, the husband and wife appeared alongside their five co-accused at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge.

They are all charged with multiple counts of fraud, money laundering and contraventions of the Public Management Finance Act.

The charges stem from an irregular R27 million tender awarded to Mabe’s Enviro Mobi company to supply 200 three-wheeler motorbikes to waste pickers in the Ekurhuleni area.

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Mmathlekelo Elsie Mabe was listed as a director of Enviro Mobi when it scored the R27 million tender in 2017.

At the time, the company did not disclose its affiliation with Mabe, who was a member of Parliament (MP) and was not allowed to do business with the government.

The State also alleges that money from the tender flowed to Mmathlekelo’s account.

Advocate Zola Majavu, who is representing the couple, says this has been a difficult period for them.

“There is emotional trauma my clients are subjected to, whether they are found guilty or not guilty, we need to get going.”

Majavu added, “He’s (Pule) not very happy, but he doesn’t locate himself above the law. It’s not a nice thing to be subjected to court processes with your wife. The toll it's taking on them is unbearable, but that is how the legal cookie crumbles.”

The case has been adjourned to 7 July 2025.