Mkhize denies any benefit from Digital Vibes contract, won’t step aside

The calls for the minister to step aside comes amid the irregular awarding of a R150 million contract to the company by the Department of Health.

A forensic investigation has confirmed that irregular and wasteful expenditure was involved in the contract to provide communication services to the department.

Mkhize's former personal assistant Naadhira Mitha and a former spokesperson of his during his tenure as African National Congress (ANC) treasurer, Tahera Mather, both benefitted from the contract.

The minister explained during a media briefing on Wednesday that Mitha resigned from her post, citing personal reasons.  

"In fact, the details of her resignation at the time were communicated to me by her direct supervisor, the chief of staff," said Mkhize. 

"She expressed that the work demands including the travel between Cape Town and Pretoria, as well as frequent travelling abroad were taking a toll on her personal life and she wished to focus on family and, with time, pursue a more stable job aligned to her qualifications and allowing her to be home daily.  

"This was reasonable and, her resignation was accepted. At no point did she disclose that she was joining a company that had been awarded a contract by the department. 

When it comes to Mather, Mkhize confirmed he worked with her at during his time as ANC treasurer.

He dismissed claims that Mather was his official spokesperson during the 2017 ANC presidential campaign. 

"As a minister, my obligation is to declare any conflict of interest when it arises and in this instance, I had not identified any conflict of interest.  

"I did not participate in the company’s appointment process. I did not in any way influence the selection of employees or consultants of the company.  

"Even at a departmental level, the minister is only informed once the whole procurement and administrative process has been concluded," said Mkhize. 

The contract is also being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU.)