SIU seeks to set aside Digital Vibes contract, recoup R150m

Explosive claims of corruption surfaced earlier this year at the Department of Health, leading to an investigation by the SIU.

Several top Health Department officials have been linked to the tender, including Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. 

Mkhize, who was placed on special leave, is accused of having a hand in the irregular procurement processes of the Covid tender awarded to a KwaZulu-Natal communications company. 

The SIU’s report into the irregular tender was handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa almost a month ago.

In the latest developments, the SIU now wants the R150 million paid to Digital Vibes during the period of 29 January 2020 to February 2021 to be paid back.

“Those papers were filed yesterday afternoon/ evening just to meet the deadline of the Special Tribunal and we are now instituting a process to recover R150  million that the National Department of health would have paid and hold everyone responsible to account,” said SIU head Andy Mothibi at a webinar on Friday. 

“Irrespective of the level which you are, we will seek to ensure that there is accountability.”

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Despite reports that there is damning evidence against Mkhize, Mothibi would not be drawn into further comment. 

“We investigated that as speedily as possible and we believe that the turnaround time in that investigation was satisfactory. We have reached the outcomes that we have reached and I can just really say we have found irregularities in the manner in which that contract was procured and that’s why we’re at court, that’s why we’re at the Special Tribunal as of yesterday.

“In terms of other outcomes, I am very constrained by legal considerations and the legal risk that’s attaching us when the matter is pending at court. I am not in a position to go into the details of the outcomes and I’m not in a position to detail what has been found, against who.”

Mothibi added the SIU had concluded at least 40% investigations into Covid tenders, with over 4000 contracts under investigation since the start of the pandemic last year. 

The contracts under investigation total more than R14 billion.