Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has still not provided him with any evidence that implicated him in the Digital Vibes scandal, which resulted in his resignation.
The SIU had found the department irregularly awarded the R141m media awareness campaign contracts for the National Health Insurance and another R125m contract for COVID-19 when Mkhize was the department’s head, reports The Star.
An SIU report tabled before Scopa (the Standing Committee on Public Accounts) also said he had approved two budget applications for Digital Vibes for NHI communication.
Speaking to students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal last week, at an event titled Youth in conversation with incoming President Dr Zweli Mkhize, he said he had told President Cyril Ramaphosa that he could not be in his Cabinet as he was challenging the report, and the SIU unit reported directly to the President.
“I said I would challenge it and I told the President I will cite him in this matter. I said that on the basis that the SIU reports to him, I would not sit in his Cabinet until it is resolved.”
Mkhize told students that the Auditor-General had flagged irregularities with the Digital Vibes contract, and the department had started an internal investigation, but was told that the SIU would be taking over the probe.
“The investigation was completed and one thing that stood out in the report that I had was that there were some irregularities in how the contract was handed out. I could see there were overcharges.
“The SIU then said they don’t continue with disciplining individuals or recovering the money, and that they wanted the report.”
Mkhize said he was later invited by the SIU to an interview at which he told them he had nothing to do with the contract. They said they were of the view that he had handed out the contract and had instructed staff on what to do with the tender.
“I told them this is not true. When the disciplinary process started in the department, nothing emerged from those hearings about fraud, or that I had been involved in giving an instruction on who to give the contract to.”
Mkhize said another allegation by the SIU was that Parliament had instructed him to give the contract to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
“They quoted the date and said I was present in that meeting and transgressed a resolution of Cabinet, and on that basis there was a breach of the Constitution, the oath of office and code of ethics. I said show me the resolution because it should be available.
“They said the resolution is classified. I said we can get it declassified by the same President who appointed me. They said they would do that. Some time later, when this was not happening, I asked for all the resolutions to be declassified, and the SIU apologised and said they don’t have the documents.
“They don’t have evidence on which these allegations are based.”
His supporters say the delays in the probe are deliberate and aimed at preventing Mkhize from contesting next month’s elective conference.
The Star PressReader article – Mkhize explains Digital Vibes (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Mkhize claims his prominent COVID role sparked Digital Vibes probe
Tribunal dismisses Digital Vibes beneficiaries’ bid to avoid scrutiny
Mkhize accuses SIU of delaying Digital Vibes probe