All quiet on Mkhize ‘scandal’ as SIU goes in
The Special Investigating Unit has received documents it requested from the health department in its probe of an R82m tender issued to a company linked to associates of health minister Zweli Mkhize.
Yesterday health spokesperson Popo Maja said: “The department is unable to respond to this media query as it is now a subject of external investigation by SIU.”
The SIU head, Andy Mothibi, said yesterday: “The inquiry is still in its very early stages.
“An investigative team has been put together. They are going through those documents.”
The tender was issued to a company called Digital Vibes, initially for work related to National Health Insurance and later Covid-19.
The Daily Maverick reported that the company won the tender irregularly and later employed Tahera Mather, a long-serving spokesperson and alleged family friend of Mkhize, as a consultant. It said the company also appointed a former assistant to the minister, Naadhira Mitha.
The same company, the publication reported, had won a tender while Mkhize was minister of co-operative governance & traditional affairs.
Mothibi said the SIU’s presidential proclamation, authorising it to investigate Covid-19-related tenders, allowed it to probe the communications tender.
Mkhize told the National Council of Provinces this week that he welcomed the investigation. He said it was raised with him in January by health director-general Sandile Buthelezi.
“In relation to Digital Vibes, he advised that the auditor-general had raised specific findings of the deviations that were implemented and found them to be irregular. He informed me that he had resolved to investigate these matters further and to ensure that the department is not found wanting by having irregular tenders.”
Mkhize said he asked Buthelezi to use an outside service provider because the department did not have the capacity.
“We very much support that as part of accountability and clean governance and ensuring compliance with the [Public Finance Management Act] and the Treasury regulations by the department,” said
Mkhize in the council.
“[Whether] the allegations of irregularities and noncompliance have been brought to our attention through an audit finding or whistle-blowing, the department must interrogate this.”
Buthelezi told 702 this week that the department was co-operating with the SIU.
“For now, we just want to request that we allow the investigation to finish. We have told our guys that they need to move faster as this is a matter of public interest, this is state money.”