Pule, a thief not wanted in parliament
SACKED Communications Minister Dina Pule has apologised for not declaring her romantic relationship with a man who benefited substantially from his association with her.
Pule’s relationship with Phosane Mngqibisa resulted in his company being awarded a R6-million tender for organising last year’s ICT Indaba in Cape Town, convened by Pule’s department.
Pule was also found guilty of flying overseas with Mngqibisa at taxpayers’ expense, despite him not being a government employee or travelling on official State business.
She has been barred from taking part in the National Assembly and its portfolio committees for two weeks, and will forfeit a month’s salary and other parliamentary privileges.
What is the matter with these politicians? They think that once they have apologised, the nation must turn a blind-eye, and life must carry on as if nothing happened. It was actually a surprise that Pule did not blame her woes on a smear campaign.
We in South Africa love protocols too much and go to great lengths in trying to be politically correct.
Pule should save her ANC political masters the trouble of keeping up with the regulations and resign as a parliamentarian.
The trust which the public – and the ANC, if this was a normal political environment – had in her was reduced to zero the moment she awarded a tender to her boyfriend and travelled with him at taxpayers’ expense.
Pule is a thief and not worthy of a parliamentary seat. Since she failed to do the right thing and quit, the ANC must show its seriousness to curb corruption, and using a parliamentarian as an example will send out a strong message.
