Malatsi orders recovery of R15,308 from Dina Pule’s former companion State-funded trips

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi has ordered the recovery of R15,308.65 from businessman Phosane Mngqibisa for expenses incurred by the department during his overseas travel as the companion of Social Development Minister Dina Pule over a decade ago. This decision was made following an inquiry by DA MP Nazley Sharif, who questioned whether the department had recovered all the money spent on Mngqibisa's overseas trips.

The situation arose after Pule was appointed as Social Development Minister in July, leading to public outcry over investigations by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela into potential conflicts of interest, corruption, and maladministration. Madonsela found that Pule had improperly represented Mngqibisa as her spouse, despite him being married to another person under civil law, and had received R89,326.35 in improper expenses for Mngqibisa's trips.

Pule acknowledged that Mngqibisa had reimbursed R89,326.35 on July 18, 2013, but this amount did not include expenses related to an extension of the trip to New York. Malatsi stated that the department's records show that Mngqibisa was reimbursed the full R104,635 for the Mexico trip and the subsequent New York extension. However, Malatsi noted that the department had not followed up on recovering the outstanding R15,308.65, and instructed the department to initiate the necessary process to recover the remaining amount.