Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday denied knowing anything about the Digital Vibes fracas, in which the company charged millions for public relations work normally done by the department’s own media team.
On Wednesday, during a briefing on the outcome of the investigation into the Digital Vibes contract with the national department of health, Mkhize confirmed that irregular expenditure of at least R35 million was involved in the communications contract with Digital Vibes.
An example of this was charging the health department R3.65 million for Mkhize’s appearance on a SABC news bulletin in December 2020 to announce South Africa’s second wave of Covid-19 infections.
ALSO READ: Millions paid to Digital Vibes were ‘fruitless’, ‘wasteful’
Political analyst Daniel Silke said the scandal was the tip of the iceberg.
“Combined with the [personal protective equipment] related corruption in Gauteng last year, these revelations indicated how widespread graft was within the top echelons of the state.
“It was not just the Guptas that plundered the coffers, but it occurred under the nose of senior ministers, like that of the minister of health,” he said.
Silke said this raised eyebrows because it involved Mkhize’s former colleague.
“The fact that this occurred effectively under his nose clearly created a cloud of suspicion, given the close relationship he enjoyed with the accused individual in question.
“The important issue was that there was lack of accountability across these senior offices, that ministers have largely been able to escape real accountability for years.
“This issue also calls into question the credibility of the state in the administration of the huge NHI [National Health Insurance] expenditure and without suitable scrutiny and accountability, leaving the NHI spend to be administered internally by the department of health,” said Silke.
Corruption Watch executive director David Lewis commended how the matter was handled.
“I thought this matter deserved an answer for a long time and yesterday [Wednesday] morning a part of the answer was provided and the full answer will be provided by the outcome of the investigations, including how they managed to employ or contract with the firm and provide such a large contract of communications services without absolutely no track records,” he said.
ALSO READ: Covid-19 corruption probe ‘involving Mkhize’s friends at an advanced stage’
Lewis added he was pleased the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was involved.
“I don’t think yesterday morning demonstrated that corruption was treated with the same amount of seriousness as jay-walking, I thought it was a rather serious treatment although I am suspicious but pleased that the SIU has been appointed to investigate the matter.”
Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow minister of health Siviwe Gwarube said it was clear the alleged looting of public money happened under the leadership of Mkhize while there was suspicion of conflict of interest.
“Mkhize should step down pending a full SIU investigation. The minister cannot be both player and referee in an investigation that involves him directly.”