Zweli Mkhize ‘pressured’ staff to award tender

HEALTH Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize's woes could worsen following reports that he allegedly “pressured” departmental officials to award the controversial tender to Digital Vibes, a company owned by Tahera Mather and Naadhira Mitha.

He was granted special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa, while the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probes allegations of impropriety around the awarding of a R150 million tender to the communications company.

The two are alleged to be friends of Mkhize and his family. Further, it has been repeatedly alleged that Digital Vibes, upon being paid for the controversial tender by the department, bankrolled an electrical project at Mkhize's home in Johannesburg and bought an off-road vehicle for his son, Dedani Mkhize.

As Mkhize continues to languish at home while awaiting the finalisation of the probe, media reports suggested that he would be implicated by the SIU report.

“Health Minister Zweli Mkhize is alleged to have pressured senior officials in the health department to appoint Digital Vibes, a company run by two close associates, to a communications contract, on which they reportedly scored R150m.”

Mkhize did not respond to calls and WhatsApp messages when Independent Media asked him whether, in the wake of this new information placing him at the centre of the scandal, he would consider resigning.

Prior to taking his special leave, Mkhize conceded that the R150m contract was irregular. He claimed he had not personally benefited from it and had not declared a conflict of interest because he believed there was none.

As the SIU continues to probe the tender, on Wednesday it obtained an order to freeze R22m held in the accounts of the company. The SIU said the move was part of taking action against those responsible for and implicated in corruption, maladministration and malpractice, related to the awarding of the R150m tender to Digital Vibes in November 2019, and extended last year to also include work related to Covid-19 communications.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the Special Tribunal order prohibits Digital Vibes, Tahera Mather, Naadhira Mitha, Suhaila Mather, Suhaila Mather Consulting, Amods Attorneys, WT Graphics and Designs and Strategeewhiz from dealing with the funds, held in the relevant bank and investment accounts, in any manner.

Kganyago added that the order was issued based on the information presented by the SIU investigating team.