DA urges Premier Lesufi to suspend Gauteng education MEC

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to promptly release Education MEC Matome Chiloane’s lifestyle audit after allegations surfaced regarding a R27 million fraud case involving former ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe.

According to a report by Mail and Guardian, Chiloane allegedly received R185 000 in 10 different payments from a fraudulent vehicle tender during his tenure as the coordinator for the infrastructure and transformation cluster in the City of Ekurhuleni.

In 2017, the Ekurhuleni municipality was one of the beneficiaries of the three-wheeled waste collection vehicles known as tuk tuks supplied by Mabe’s company Enviro Mobi. The metro municipality reportedly ordered 70 of the 200 tuk tuks that Mabe’s company was awarded a tender to deliver.

GAUTENG EDUCATION MEC FINGERED IN PULE MABE’S R27 MILLION FRAUDULENT TENDER 

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education Sergio Isa Dos Santos said the allegations levelled against Chiloane are serious, and a responsible Premier would not ignore them; instead, he would act swiftly to provide answers to the residents of Gauteng. 

“However, in his typical carefree manner, Premier Lesufi has remained silent, hoping this issue, like many others, will disappear,” he said. 

Dos Santos said Lesufi’s failure to act raises concerns about either grave negligence or a deliberate attempt to conceal corruption and protect the corrupt in his administration. 

“Additionally, the Premier should explain why his MECs, many of whom have a history of incompetence and scandalous behaviour, have not been thoroughly vetted.

“The DA demands that the premier urgently publish the audit lifestyle of MEC Chiloane and move to suspend him pending the NPA investigation into the fraud allegations. It is unacceptable that Premier Lesufi is quick to investigate non-existent racism claims but slow to publicise lifestyle audits which are gathering dust in his office,” he said. 

PARTY TO WRITE TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON 

Dos Santos said they will also write to Moipone Mhlongo, the chairperson of the Gauteng provincial legislature education portfolio committee, asking MEC Chiloane to appear before the committee and explain his involvement in these allegations.

PULE MABE AND CO-ACCUSED GRANTED R30 000 BAIL EACH

Last Wednesday, Mabe and his six co-accused appeared at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palm Ridge after handing themselves to police the same day. 

They were charged with 29 counts, including fraud, theft, contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), money laundering, and assisting another to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities. They were granted R30 000 bail each. 

According to the Mail and Guardian, the Gauteng Education MEC was expected to appear alongside Mabe and the other accused.

Mabe’s co-accused include four former senior officials from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: Thandeka Mbassa, Matilda Gasela (both HoDs), Abdullah Mohamed Ismail, the former Chief Financial Officer; Loyiso Nkwana, the Chief Director-Sustainable Use of the Environment; and two employees of KGP Media Holdings (PTY) LTD, Mmatlhekelo Elsie Mabe and Tinyiko Mahuntsi. 

Chiloane has refuted the allegations and insisted that he has never received a single cent from Mabe in his entire life.