Pule Mabe’s lawyers say delays in corruption case costing him a lot of money

JOHANNESBURG - Lawyers of former African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson Pule Mabe are not happy about the delays in his corruption case, saying it's costing the politician a lot of money.

On Tuesday, Mabe, along with his wife, Hleki, and five other accused persons, appeared 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.

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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.

Since being charged, Mabe has resigned as a member of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC).

During his bail application, he said he earns about R25,000 a month from a small business he owns.

Mabe’s legal representative, Zola Majavu, said the continued delays in the case are negatively impacting his client’s political and professional career.

“They [the State] are asking for a postponement to amend the charge sheet to give us some other version, and that is the frustrating part because every time I come to court, my services don’t come cheap, there is emotional trauma my clients are subjected to. Whether they will be found guilty or not, we need to get going.”

Last November, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) got a preservation order to freeze some of Mabe’s assets, which include a property at Steyn City and a Porsche Carrera GTS.