By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
File Photo.
The ANC has welcomed Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize’s decision to present himself before the party’s Integrity Committee following allegations of corruption against him related to the awarding of a R150 million tender to Digital Vibes.
ANC’s integrity commission still to set a date for a meeting with Mkhize.
The allegations against Mkhize includes that Digital Vibes was awarded the contract by the Health Department for communication work that had initially focused on the National Health Insurance scheme but was later expanded to include Covid-19 communications.
The controversy, however, emerged when Daily Mavervick exposed that the company was owned by Mkhize’s former private assistant, Tahera Mathera, and his former spokesperson, Naardhira Mitha.
Adding to the saga, the publication later exposed that Digital Vibes had allegedly made payments for maintenance work at the family home of Mkhize including transferring cash to a personal account of his son Dedani Mkhize.
The police have yet to make a decision to criminally charge him or allow the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which is probing the awarding of the tender to complete their investigation.
Announcing the outcome of the ANC National Working Committee, the party’s acting secretary-general Jessie Duarte said her party welcomed the minister’s decision to present himself to the Integrity Commission, saying it was in line with the resolution of the 54th National Conference, Fighting Crime and Corruption.
Duarte also used the opportunity to lodge a veiled attack against some of their party leaders such as Tony Yengeni and suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule, who accused senior ANC leaders of allegedly using state resources to deal with their opponents in the party.
Duarte was adamant that the claims made by some of their leaders were unfounded.
Magashule,meanwhile was given 48 hours to apologise to the ANC structures for writing a letter suspending the party president Cyril Ramaphosa.
But Magashule refused to apologise and instead challenged the party in court for suspending him and forcing him to step aside.
Duarte, who is acting in Magashule’s place, told a post-national executive committee (NEC) briefing on Tuesday that while the 48-hour deadline was mentioned by Ramaphosa, the NEC had not issued an ultimatum.
She said Magashule’s court challenge against the party would be heard in the high court on 24 and 25 June and the ANC opposed the matter in which Magashule challenged the constitutionality of Rule 25.7 of the ANC Constitution under which ANC members facing corruption charges were suspended or asked to step aside.
She also reiterated that plans to disband the uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) would go ahead because there was was no military force recognised by law other than the South African National Defence Force.
Duarte said she the welcomed the efforts by the ANC-led government to strengthen law enforcement agencies to allow for swifter identification and prosecution of corruption and fraud and the assurance that there would be no political interference whatsoever in the work of these agencies.