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BL Premium reports that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which is seeking to recoup millions of rand spent on the controversial Digital Vibes contract, has accused Department of Health (DOH) Minister Zweli Mkhize of unlawful and improper conduct for his role and wants his family to repay about R4m.
Digital Vibes was initially contracted to handle the DOH’s National Health Insurance (NHI) communication work, but its scope was later expanded to include work on the department’s Covid-19 campaigns. In court papers filed in the Special Tribunal on Thursday, the SIU wants a R150m contract reviewed and set aside and for those implicated to be ordered to pay the SIU or the DOH the money they received with interest. The SIU said Mkhize put pressure on DOH director-general Malebona Matsoso via repeated text messages to approve the communication contract for Digital Vibes, a company that counts his former personal assistant and secretary as owners. “At best, this conduct on the part of the minister was improper and, at worst, the conduct of the minister was unlawful,” the SIU claimed in an affidavit. The SIU also stated that “there is evidence that the minister has directly and indirectly received gratifications from Digital Vibes”, citing R3.8m that flowed to Mkhize’s son Dedani, while another R6,720 was used for repairs at Mkhize’s Bryanston property. The court papers will pile pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has staked his political reputation on rooting out corruption, to act strongly against Mkhize, who has been on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the scandal.
Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
Read too, DA wants Mkhize fired as SIU seeks to recover R150 million from Digital Vibes, at The Citizen
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page