Johannesburg - ANC Youth League presidential candidate Pule Mabe is unfazed by the charges of theft, fraud and money laundering against him.
Mabe stopped short of saying the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court will exonerate him of the serious charges he faced.
“The courts are not the platform of sentiments, but of facts,” a confident Mabe stated on Sunday, speaking to The Star after he led an ANCYL protest march against crime in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni.
The former ANCYL treasurer broke his silence on the charges against him while making a rare public appearance since his arrest last year.
He and his co-accused, Paseka Letsatsi and Kabedi Ramosa are out on bail of R10 000 each for allegedly defrauding the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa).
Letsatsi, who was Sassa’s head of communications, allegedly solicited funds from the agency, which were given to companies owned by Mabe and Ramosa. The latter is reportedly Mabe’s business partner.
The three’s miseries were compounded last month when the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) seized assets worth R2.2 million belonging to them.
And in what appeared another move that could scupper his ambitions to be the next ANCYL president, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has said Mabe is among the ANC leaders who are being investigated by the party’s integrity commission’s preliminary report.
Despite this, the ANCYL in Gauteng has nominated him as its presidential candidate in next month’s elections.
Mabe, who is also an ANC national executive committee member, seemed less troubled on Sunday, saying the court was the right platform to prove his case.
“I believe the courts are the most legitimate bodies to provide clarity on the allegations levelled against me. The court should be given that space.”
Asked whether he would resign from the presidential race if the ANC asked him to, Mabe said: “I have always said I am guided by the resolution of the ANC and by my own convictions. Should I be found wanting, I will certainly do what the ANC requires of me.”
An upbeat Mabe also spoke about the ANC’s policy against corruption.
“We have gone out all ourselves to canvass against corruption and stated our lines. We believe the institutions and mechanisms of the ANC are sufficient that we have not folded our arms (against fighting corruption). Of course, where we face allegations, we must agree to go to the courts to provide clarity, and not outside.”
The Star