The commission’s chairperson, George Mashamba has confirmed to Eyewitness News that it met with suspended Health Minister Zweli Mkhize to get his side of the story on the multi-million rand Digital Vibes tender.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was placed on special leave last month because of the R150 million contract. It's alleged that he benefitted when the COVID-19 communications tender was awarded to the company owned by his associates.
On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he was placing Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on special leave over the multi-million rand communications tender awarded from his department to his close associates.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize's been placed on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa pending the outcome of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)'s probe into his department's contract with a company run by two of his associates.
President Cyril Ramaphosa put Zweli Mkhize on special leave on Tuesday following damning allegations of corruption over the awarding of the contract.
As revelations around the Digital Vibes contract continued, including assertions that the company bought his son a bakkie, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said that he spoke to his family about it and they were in agreement that these funds needed to be returned.
While some insiders suggested he take leave of absence, others have maintained the irregular tender awarded to Digital Vibes, the company linked to the minister’s close associates and his son, has nothing to do with the ANC and the party should be kept out of the scandal.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has been marred by an irregular multi-million rand tender awarded to a company linked to some of his close associates and his son.
The commission’s chairperson, George Mashamba, said that it received a letter from the Health minister on Saturday in which he asks for an opportunity to explain his role in the allegations.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was supposed to lead a delegation on Friday to discuss the Digital Vibes scandal with MPs but he wrote to the chairperson on Thursday night informing him that he had received legal advice not to appear.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the investigation into allegations against his minister of health would not hamper the country's COVID vaccine rollout.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was a no-show at Friday morning’s meeting after receiving legal advice not to appear.
The party on Thursday laid a criminal complaint against Mkhize at the Cape Town Central Police Station.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane this week accused Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize of failing to respond to her communications.
Two of Heath Minister Zweli Mkhize’s close associates are in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) crosshairs over an irregular contract between the department of health and the company, Digital Vibes.
The charges relate to a R150 million contract awarded to Digital Vibes for a COVID-19 communications campaign.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was investigating allegations involving two of Mkhize’s close associates and a R150 million, irregular contract between the company and the Department of Health.
In its latest expose, the Daily Maverick's investigative unit, Scorpio, reported the controversial company bought a Land Cruiser bakkie for Mkhize's son DedaniMabhunu.
