Scopa slams Presidency ‘pulling out’
THE Presidency has come under criticism from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) for pulling out of the meeting to deal with the Digital Vibes report after it was finalised by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said yesterday that acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni had pulled out because she had to attend the meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). But Ntshavheni had before the Scopa meeting started communicated to Hlengwa that they could not discuss the SIU reports as they were not final reports.
The Digital Vibes scandal has dogged the government for months and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has taken a leave of absence.
Hlengwa said they had sent correspondence indicating the SIU reports, including Digital Vibes, would be discussed. “I sent correspondence through to the Presidency on June 24 as we had agreed we would be having this meeting today.
“We had been working with the SIU on the reports they produce on their investigations and those are transmitted to the Presidency because that is where the proclamations flow from,” said Hlengwa.
“Then yesterday I received correspondence from the acting minister in the Presidency indicating that in their view the SIU is best placed to brief the committee; therefore they are merely recipients of the reports,” he said.
He made it clear to Ntshavheni they had been briefed by the SIU and needed the Presidency to give them a briefing to see what action would be taken against those implicated in the reports, he said.
“This morning I received correspondence again from the acting minister indicating two things – leave of absence from this meeting because she will be attending the NCCC meeting.
“Secondly, that they are not in a position to speak to PPE reports that the SIU has given them because those are updates and not final reports.
“I was told that on finalisation of these reports they will be in a position to interact and engage with the committee,” said Hlengwa.
He told Scopa it was not acceptable for the Presidency to pull out at the last minute. In his correspondence, he indicated when the meeting will be held, he said. It would have been better if the Presidency had sent a message much earlier that it would not attend.
The issue of Digital Vibes has been dominating the news for the past two months, with President Cyril Ramaphosa promising to act after he had received the SIU report.
The Presidency said yesterday it was studying the report and will keep the public abreast of developments. “It will do so in a manner that preserves information that may be or become the subject of prosecution, civil action or disciplinary proceedings.”