The corruption case against former ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe and his co-accused has been postponed to 18 February 2026 following their appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on 27 August 2025. They face serious charges including fraud and theft related to a tender worth over R27 million, which was allegedly unlawfully awarded to a company called Enviro Mobi to supply waste collection vehicles, known as Tuktuks, back in 2017.
Court Proceedings and Latest Postponement
Pule Mabe, along with his wife Matlhekelo Mabe and five other co-accused, appeared briefly in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 27 August 2025. The group faces charges of fraud, theft, money laundering, and breaking the Public Finance Management Act. These stem from a 2017 tender awarded by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to Enviro Mobi, a company linked to Mabe. The state claims the tender was handled wrongly, with funds paid out without proper services delivered.
The case was postponed to 18 February 2026 because some of the accused had sent representations to the National Prosecuting Authority, and full disclosure of these is still needed. This is the latest in a series of delays. The matter first came to court after arrests in October 2024, with bail granted soon after. It was postponed from March 2025 to 17 June 2025 to finalise the charge sheet. Then, on 17 June, it moved to 7 July for the same reason. On 7 July, a power outage at the court pushed it to 27 August. Now, this new date gives time for all sides to prepare fully.
During the short hearing, the state prosecutor explained that the representations – which are formal requests to drop or change charges – must be shared with everyone involved. This step ensures fairness, as required by law. No new evidence was presented in open court, but the matter is set for further pretrial steps in February.
Background to the R27 Million Tender Scandal
The heart of the case is a R27,231,750 tender from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in March 2017. Enviro Mobi, which later changed its name to Groen Mintirho, won the contract to supply 200 motorised three-wheelers, or tuk-tuks, for waste collection. These vehicles were meant to help cooperatives and waste pickers in Ekurhuleni gather rubbish more easily, supporting community jobs and clean-up efforts.
But the state says things went wrong from the start. Enviro Mobi allegedly did not reveal its close ties to Pule Mabe, who was an ANC Member of Parliament at the time. Rules in Parliament’s code of conduct stop MPs from doing business with the government to avoid conflicts. The company is accused of getting the tender unfairly, with money paid out even though the vehicles were faulty, had no spare parts, and did not meet road safety standards. Prosecutors claim this amounts to robbing the province, as no real value was given for the millions spent.
Investigations showed that ten companies bid for the work, but Enviro Mobi’s proposal stood out. The Special Investigating Unit dug deep and found problems like misuse of funds. In November 2024, they got a court order to freeze assets worth R24.9 million linked to the case, including luxury homes, cars, and other items. This stops anyone from selling them until the trial ends. They also froze the pension of Matilda Gasela, the former head of the department, who is one of the co-accused and allegedly played a big role in approving the deal.
Other co-accused include Mabe’s cousin and people tied to the company or department. The probe has even looked at links to Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, though details on that are still unfolding. The SIU says the tender was part of a bigger pattern of poor handling, with money meant for community upliftment going astray.
After the postponement, former ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe spoke to journalists outside the court. He stressed that he would not run the case in the media but shared some facts to clear up misunderstandings. Mabe explained that he had gone beyond his normal duties to understand the legal processes, which can take a long time.
He mentioned advice from his senior counsel, including Ramayidi in a civil case and Katz in the High Court. They are challenging the status of the proclamation and a forensic report by the Special Investigating Unit, using sections 74 of 1996 read with sections 1 to 6. Mabe said he is using his rights under sections 33, 34, and 35 of the Constitution, as well as section 1C and others.
After studying the material, Mabe pointed out that over 90 beneficiaries who represent cooperatives in Koeng have received the motorised three-wheelers in question. He noted that these vehicles are registered on the traffic system, the eNaTIS system of the Republic of South Africa. Anyone, like a journalist, can check if they are allowed on the roads.
Mabe addressed claims in affidavits about defects in the vehicles and whether they are drivable, saying this would be dealt with in the right place. He compared skills in different jobs, like journalism or forensic auditing, and stressed that opening cases is for the police under the South African Police Services Act.
He repeated that the 200 motorised three-wheelers have been delivered – a fact that won’t change. Mabe asked to speak without interruption, saying it would help everyone. He usually does not talk to journalists, using his right to remain silent under sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution. When people do not respond, it is their constitutional right.
Mabe criticised some journalists for misrepresenting facts when he stays quiet. He said he is not like John the Baptist and can speak for himself. Courts presume innocence until proven guilty. The date of 18 February brings emotional pressure on him, his wife, two beautiful children, family, clergy, and church.
Some want to rush the case, but Nelson Mandela waited 27 years for freedom. Mabe is not Mandela and does not want to be. He understands his case and will present facts. His wife is charged alongside him, and they question which law calls her a servant or wrongful beneficiary of a legitimate deal led by her husband.
These issues are being aired through representations. They needed the full docket to make them. Now with disclosure, they may ask for more details. South Africa’s strong Constitution allows this in the pursuit of freedom and justice.
It is a lonely road. Some comrades want to see them at gatherings, but the path to freedom needs resilience. Graves of revolutionaries are on the roadside. Fighting for freedom and privilege are different. In branch meetings, people must act with humility and discipline when seeking positions he held for over 30 years as a 45-year-old.
He wishes them well in ANC conferences and says behave well. People still trust the ANC. He did not leave the ANC because of charges – the ANC did not charge him. He is a bona fide member, renewed his membership, and will stay. His blood is red, but he submits to the ANC. It would take a conviction to remove his membership. He belongs to the ANC, not its leaders. If voting tomorrow, he would vote ANC. He knew it from age 11, when his grandmother got a long service award at Palabora Mining Company in 1989. He learned about Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, and others. In 1990, he questioned a song about a teacher going to London.
Mabe feels persecuted because his wife is charged for benefiting from a legitimate deal organised by her husband. This is on the sidelines of the postponement to 18 February.
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