Former communications minister Dina Pule may be out of the picture since president Jacob Zuma sent her packing on Tuesday, but the trio of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and mismanagement on her part are set to continue.
At the time of her dismissal, Pule was facing three investigations, spun off from allegations of cronyism, mismanagement and corruption against her - following the ICT Indaba in Cape Town last year June.
In addition to being under the microscope of Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests, Pule was also brought under scrutiny by SA's public protector, Thuli Madonsela.
Completing the triangle of inquiry, the South African Police Service (SAPS) opened a docket on Pule after the Democratic Alliance (DA) requested the police to look into allegations of corruption involving appointments in the Department of Communications and its entities.
Going ahead
Ben Turok, joint chairman of the multi-party parliamentary panel that held closed hearings in May, confirms the process is ongoing.
While the findings of Pule's hearings have not yet been made public, Turok says "the process continues" until the committee has reported to Parliament.
DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard says a parliamentary sub-committee, which has been handling the matter following the hearings, will meet in Cape Town next week to finalise a report and the findings will be presented in August.
Similarly, public protector spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi confirms the institution has no intention of dropping its investigation into the allegations that have been levelled against Pule, despite her status as minister being void.
Masibi says most of the requisite information has been received, and "a provisional report will be shared confidentially with the affected parties within the next seven days".
Police probe
Meanwhile, DA MP Marian Shinn says the party has been trying to establish what the progress on the SAPS case is - but has been "sent from pillar to post".
Shinn has written to Hawks director Anwa Dramat to request written confirmation and an update on the investigation as a matter of urgency.
"The DA gave an affidavit to SAPS in May, requesting that it investigate the possible criminal activities of Pule, her boyfriend Phosane Mngqibisa, the suspended CFO of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Ms Gugu Duda, and the group CEO of the SABC, Ms Lulama Mokhobo.
"The SAPS agreed to investigate the allegations and, in June, the SAPS confirmed witnesses had come forward and the case had been escalated to the anti-corruption unit, the Hawks, in Cape Town."
Shinn says Pule's removal from the executive does not vindicate her from any of the investigations under way, "nor should it in away prevent a full and fair investigation by the SAPS into her allegedly corrupt conduct as reported in the media".
She says a clear message needs to be sent to individuals holding executive office that, should they in any way misuse their positions, they will be investigated and held to account in terms of the law.
"Pule must be no exception."
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