Dina Pule

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(see below). On 9 July 2013, [4] while an investigation into the allegations was ongoing, Zuma fired Pule and replaced her with Yunus Carrim. [13]

The so-called Gupta Leaks, published in 2017 after Pule had left government, appeared to suggest that Pule, while still a Minister, had met the controversial Gupta family at their home in Saxonwold in October 2012. [14]

Misconduct finding: 2013

The misconduct allegations against Pule stemmed from her romantic relationship with Phosane Mngqibisa, a businessman who was alleged to have received improper benefits as a result of his relationship with Pule. In response, Pule initiated a public spat with the Sunday Times , which had reported the initial allegations against her, according to her as part of a political conspiracy. [15] She denied continuously that she had a relationship with Mngqibisa or that his trips abroad had been subsidised by the government. [15]

Parliamentary inquiry

The allegations were investigated by a nine-member multi-party panel appointed by Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests. [15] The chairperson of the panel, Ben Turok of the ANC, later said that he and the committee's registrar had both been assigned bodyguards during the inquiry because they had received death threats; Turok also said that witnesses at the inquiry had been bullied to change their testimony. [13]

Findings

On 7 August, the panel released its findings, which affirmed most of the allegations against Pule. The panel found that Pule had contravened the parliamentary code of conduct by concealing her relationship with Mngqibisa, which it said appeared to have begun in 2009 while Pule was Deputy Minister of Communications, and that Mngqibisa, "through Hon. Pule's influence, benefited improperly by receiving R6-million for his company and enjoyed the benefit of the DOC [ Department of Communications] paying for his overseas trips and accommodation". [15] Mngqibisa had received the R6 million through his company during MTN's 2012 ICT Indaba. [14] However, the panel did not find sufficient evidence to substantiate the Sunday Times's further claim that Pule had received, and had failed to disclose, a gift from Mngqibisa (allegedly a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes). [15]

Sanctions

In addition to recommending that Pule should be subject to a criminal investigation, [16] the parliamentary committee recommended that Pule should be subject to the harshest sanctions permitted by the parliamentary rules: a public reprimand in the National Assembly, a fine equivalent to 30 days' salary, and 15 days' suspension from the assembly. [15] The recommendations were accepted by the assembly and the sanctions were applied later in August. [13] Following her public reprimand by Speaker of the National Assembly Max Sisulu, Pule offered what the Mail & Guardian called "a qualified apology": she said, "I want to say in this House that I gave the best I could do to do my job; and that if in the course of me doing my job, if I made a mistake I am sorry, I apologise". [16]

Public Protector report

The allegations were also investigated by the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, who concurred with the parliamentary inquiry in finding Pule guilty of misconduct and of "persistently lying". [17] Madonsela's report, released in 2013, found that Pule's conduct had been unlawful; Madonsela added that it was "grossly improper and unethical that she tried to pass the buck to her staff". [17] She recommended that Pule should apologise to Parliament, to the Department of Communications, and to the Sunday Times, and that the department should be reimbursed fully for the money spent on Mngqibisa's travel. [17]

Later offices

After being subject to dismissal and punishment, Pule completed her term as an ordinary member of the National Assembly. [4] Controversially, [18] in the 2014 general election, she was again included on the ANC's party list. [4] Although she was ranked high enough (70th) to secure a seat, [4] she withdrew her name from the party list and retreated from frontline politics. [18]

In 2019, City Press reported that Pule was "set for a big comeback" in provincial politics as a contender for election as Provincial Chairperson of the Mpumalanga ANC. According to the newspaper, Pule's supporters also supported the election of Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, Mandla Ndlovu, Pat Ngomane, and Vusi Shongwe to top positions in the provincial party. [19] However, the party's elective conference was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; when it was finally held in 2022, Pule did not contest a top position. [20]

In August 2021, Pule was appointed to a four-year term as deputy chairperson of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency, a public entity. [21] The following month, the Mpumalanga ANC appointed her as one of three members of an internal panel that was tasked with resolving disputes about the selection of ANC candidates for the 2021 local government elections. [22] By that time, Pule was also a full-time staff member of the ANC in Mpumalanga. [22]

ANC Women's League

In 2022, Pule was appointed to the interim task team formed to lead the national ANC Women's League after the league's elected leadership, headed by Bathabile Dlamini, was disbanded. [23] At the ANC's 55th National Conference in December 2022, she was additionally elected to a five-year term on the ANC National Executive Committee. She was ranked 67th of the 80 candidates elected to the committee by the number of votes received. [24]

The ANC Women's League held its 13th National Conference in July 2023, and Pule was nominated from the floor of the conference to stand for election as the league's Deputy Secretary-General. She was elected to the office on 23 July, deputising Nokuthula Nqaba. [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "2009 National and Provincial Election – Final Candidate Lists" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Ms Dina Pule". ITU. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mpumalanga makes cabinet comeback". News24. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Dina Deliwe Pule". People's Assembly. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Premier's reshuffle seen as 'reward'". The Mail & Guardian. 18 February 2007. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  6. ↑ "Office of the Premier Media Release". Mpumalanga Provincial Government. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "Changes to the Mpumalanga Cabinet". Mpumalanga Provincial Government. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Scramble for Top ANC Jobs in Volatile Province". Business Day. 9 June 2005. Retrieved 30 November 2022– via allAfrica.
  9. ↑ "Who made it on to ANC's working committee?". The Mail & Guardian. 8 January 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ↑ Naidoo, Nalini (16 March 2011). "Undercover ministers". Witness. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  11. ↑ de Wet, Phillip (24 October 2011). "Zuma announces far-reaching cabinet reshuffle, suspends Cele". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  12. ↑ "Results of the elections for the ANC NEC 2012". Politicsweb. 20 December 2012. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 "Dina Pule: If I made a mistake, I'm sorry". The Mail & Guardian. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Disgraced Dina Pule 'not really interested in Gupta e-mail' exposé". Business Day. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Davis, Rebecca (7 August 2013). "Dishonourable Dina: Down, but not out". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Is Parliament's punishment of Pule enough?". The Mail & Guardian. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 "Madonsela report finds Pule guilty of 'persistently lying'". The Mail & Guardian. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  18. 1 2 "Dina Pule won't return to Parliament". EWN. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  19. ↑ Yende, Sizwe sama (24 September 2019). "Dina Pule set for big comeback in Mpumalanga". City Press. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  20. ↑ Madisa, Kgothatso (2 April 2022). "Mandla Ndlovu is ANC's new provincial chairperson in Mpumalanga". Business Day. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "Disgraced Dina Pule returns to public admin". Sowetan. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  22. 1 2 Mavuso, Sihle (3 September 2021). "Controversial ex-communications minister Dina Pule to join ANC disputes committee". IOL. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  23. ↑ "ANC appoints Baleka Mbete to lead women's league task team". Business Day. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "ANC NEC election results". Politicsweb. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  25. ↑ Masuabi, Queenin (23 July 2023). "Ramaphosa ally Sisisi Tolashe beats Bathabile Dlamini to be elected as ANCWL president". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
Dina Pule
Dina Pule.webp
Pule at the 13th National Conference of the ANC Women's League in July 2023
Member of the National Assembly
In office
6 May 2009 –6 May 2014
President
Deputy President
Ministers
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