DA wants criminal probe following SIU Digital Vibes report
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says criminal investigations must now begin against those implicated in the Digital Vibes saga.
"It is absolutely critical that Dr Zweli Mkhize is investigated without further delay. We believe that Dr Sandile Buthelezi, who is the current DG at the Department of Health, needs to be criminally investigated for his role and possible contravention of the PFMA," says the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube.
"Dr Anban Pillay, who is also implicated in this report, needs to be investigated [and] Mr Ian Van Der Merwe who is the CFO of the department.“
A report by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into the awarding of the R150 million rand contract by the Health Department to the KwaZulu-Natal-based communications company was released by the Presidency on Wednesday.
It's implicated former health minister Zweli Mkhize and other officials.
The contract was initially for the rollout of the media campaign for the National Health Insurance in 2019, but it was extended to include work on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SIU says in July 2019, Mkhize sent a WhatAapp message to the then director-general of the department asking that the contract with Digital Vibes be sorted out.
The company is run by Mkhize's friend, Tahera Mather and his former personal assistant Naadira Mitha.
He resigned from his position earlier this year after being placed on special leave.
Gwarube says President Cyril Ramaphosa also needs to take full accountability.
"The reality is that he when minister Mkhize stepped down thanked minister Mkhize while he had already had cite of the report. He already knew what kind of allegations were being alleged against minister Mkhize and yet he pretended as though this was some who was stepping down, somebody who made an honourable decision.
"When in fact what he should have done and he should have said is that criminal investigation must begin and ultimately what this indicates to us is that there is absolutely no good versus bad ANC. This is but one single party that has essentially become a criminal syndicate."
United Democratic Movement leader, Bantu Holomisa, agrees that President Ramaphosa sat on the SIU report for far too long.
"It's a pity that the president kept on keeping this report under wraps as if he was going to amend, but be that as it may, the National Prosecuting Authority must now work on this report. We want to see people being given an opportunity to defend themselves in court. If they lose, then they must be sent to jail."
Brett Herron of the Good Party said: "There should be no place to hide for those who concoct corrupt schemes which defraud the public purse and this report shines the light directly on those who need to be shamed. The report is damning on the former minister, the former acting DG and of cause those who were the extensible owners of Digital Vibes."
ALSO READ:
