Political analyst Tessa Dooms has raised questions over the veracity of claims made by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize after he denied any involvement in the awarding of an irregular multi-million rand contract by his department.
A Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe has found that the Department of Health’s dealings with communications company, Digital Vibes, were irregular.
Below is Minister Mkhize’s media address:
It follows newspaper reports that Digital Vibes was paid R150 million for services related to the National Health Insurance (INH) and government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mkhize’s former personal spokesperson Tahera Mather and former personal assistant, Naadhira Mitha, are reported to control the company – although the two are not listed as directors.
Dooms says, “It’s very hard to believe him when he contradicted himself in the press briefing itself. He said he didn’t know up until a point he came to know that she was involved when she was setting up meetings with him in order to do the work that was being paid for.”
“So he clearly became aware at some point. But of course, it would be highly irregular for that level of work to be done in his office,” explains Dooms.
Below is the full interview with Dooms:
