Health DG suspended over tender

The director-general of the national department of health, Sandile Buthelezi, has been placed on precautionary suspension, eNCA reported yesterday.

Prior to Buthelezi’s precautionary suspension, he had reportedly been on leave for two weeks to prepare responses about his alleged benefit from the Digital Vibes scandal.

The Special Investigating Unit’s inquiry will likely result in the suspension of a number of senior health department officials, sources revealed to the Daily Maverick in August.

It also emerged last month, following the downfall of former health minister Zweli Mkhize, that his son, Dedani, also allegedly raked in perks from the Digital Vibes contract.

Mkhize was placed on placed on leave in June amid the SIU probe into the irregular R150 million communication contract awarded to Digital Vibes.

“It goes without saying that these are difficult times we find ourselves in. As director-general, I wish to reassure the nation that we remain committed and capable of managing the Covid pandemic; executing a ramped up vaccination programme and running the national programmes as we are led by the acting Minister of Health Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane,” Buthelezi said in a statement after Mkhize was placed on leave.

Buthelezi was appointed to the post of director-general of the department on 1 June last year.

The SIU earlier in September told parliament’s standing committee on public accounts that it had evidence against the former health minister that points to criminal action regarding the Digital Vibes contract.

Tahera Mather, one of the owners of Digital Vibes and a close associate of Mkhize’s, reportedly splurged R90 000 at a Gucci store in Sandton using money that was paid to the company by the department of health.

We remain committed and capable of managing the Covid pandemic.

Sandile Buthelexi Health director-general