Taxpayers are footing the bill for fired communications minister Dina Pule's legal fights - an amount so far of R1.18 million.
This emerged from a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance's shadow minister of communications Marian Shinn, in which she requested a breakdown of costs incurred by the case brought by Pule against the Sunday Times at the press Ombudsman, her defence against the probe by Parliament's Joint Ethics Committee, and each investigation by the public protector.
Communications minister Yunus Carrim says: "The total legal costs incurred thus far in respect of these matters amount to R 1 187 148.82. Some legal costs are still payable but are unknown at this stage."
Shinn says she assumes the costs still to be paid will be Pule's representations to the public protector's ongoing investigation into the ICT Indaba.
She says, although transparency on the issue is lacking as Carrim gave one answer to a three-part question, the amount paid so far seems excessive. "It is difficult to have transparency on this issue [but] I will pursue clarity on these costs."
Government - or taxpayers - pay the legal costs of actions against cabinet ministers and officials for decisions they make or actions they take while in office, even if they are found guilty or are removed from office. "It's a vexed issue," concludes Shinn.
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