Pule is innocent: DoC
As far as the Department of Communications (DoC) is concerned, they do not have any record of the documents cited by the Sunday Times in its most recent report on the relationship between Minister of Communications, Dina Pule, and businessman Phosane Mngqibisa.
“We are also stating for the record that we have no knowledge of these documents,” new departmental spokesperson Wisani Ngobeni told journalists at a press briefing held in Pretoria today (13 May 2013).
The DoC called the press briefing after the Sunday Times reported on (12 May 2013) that it had proof that Communications Minister Dina Pule lied about her relationship with Phosane Mngqibisa.
According to the Sunday Times, Pule had also lied when she said that she did not send her lawyer, Ronnie Bokwa, to apologise to the paper on her behalf.
To back up its claims, the Sunday Times printed copies of invoices it said were in its possession which showed that Pule had spent R700,000 on an international trip for her, Mngqibisa, and two others.
The Sunday Times also printed an invoice showing that the Minister had booked a venue at which the Sunday Times said a meeting had been scheduled by the Minister to apologise to the Sunday Times journalists she attacked in a public statement.
“We are unable to express a view on these documents because we do not have them,” Ngobeni said.
Ngobeni went on to add that the Sunday Times is on a crusade against the Minister and that the paper was manipulating and distorting facts to convict the Minister “in the court of public opinion”.
This is despite the fact that the Minister is under investigation by the parliamentary ethics committee and the public protector, Ngobeni said.
He said that the DoC will not respond to these allegations in the media, but through these formal processes that are under way.
“We wish to state and restate that none of the allegations levelled against Minister Pule and the Department will stick,” Ngobeni said.
More articles on the DoC and Dina Pule
Pule lied, and we have proof: Sunday Times
No apology to Sunday Times, says minister Pule
Pule versus Shinn on criminal charges
Loading ...