Johannesburg – Former communications minister Dina Pule has incurred almost R1.2m in legal fees in three matters that include her defence before the Press Ombudsman, Parliament’s joint ethics committee and the public protector.

Communications Minister Yunus Carrim told parliament that costs incurred thus far totalled R1 187 148.82 and that this was not the final tally, reported the Sunday Independent.

This response was in answer to DA MP Marian Shinn’s request for a breakdown of legal costs for each of the three matters.

As a rule, the state covers these expenses although it is not clear whether it will cover expenses incurred by Pule after she was sacked. She faces an ongoing probe by the public protector over the alleged disappearance of millions of rand from the R25m sponsorship of the 2012 ICT Indaba.

The Hawks meanwhile confirmed last week that its corruption probe is also continuing. Last month Parliament’s joint ethics committee found Pule guilty of having wilfully misled Parliament over her relationship with businessman Phosane Mngqibisa who was paid a staggering R6m at the time of the indaba in “management” fees.

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