"He is implicated in the report. He was served the nation well," Ramaphosa said

This despite a scathing reporting detailing how a R150 million contract for Covid-19 communications was passed through a front company run by his former spokesperson and personal assistant.

Ramaphosa on Wednesday made public the Special Investigating Unit's report into the Digital Vibes deal - which revealed that it'd been authorised outside normal government regulations.

It also showed that Mkhize and other officials were directly involved in signing off on funds for the KwaZulu-Natal-based firm.

Ramaphosa was responding to a question on why he thanked Mkhize for his service during a media briefing at Luthuli House on Wednesday night.

"I think much as we want to send people to the gallows and all that, we do need to also recognise some of the things that they have done."

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