By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Health (DoH) has suspended the services of Digital Vibes, a communications firm linked to two close associates of Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.
This comes after Daily Maverick recently reported that Digital Vibes secured emergency procurement orders from the department for Covid-19 awareness campaigns valued at R82-million.
The firm – which ironically has no digital footprint, was first roped in by the department in late 2019 to deliver communications services for the National Health Insurance (NHI) roll-out, but its services were extended in March 2020 to include Covid-19.
Digital Vibes was also awarded a contract from the Cooperative Governance Department during Mkhize’s short stint as minister in that portfolio.
Mkhize has found himself at the centre of a conflict of interest debate whereby his former personal spokesperson, Tahera Mather, and his former personal assistant, Naadhira Mitha, landed consultancy jobs from Digital Vibes after it had secured the tenders.
Mather is reported to be an alleged family friend of Mkhize, whose relationship is said to extend as far back as the 1990s, during Mkhize’s time as MEC for health in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is also investigating the contract.
The paper is reporting that department’s spokersperson Popo Maja confirmed the contract was suspended due to an ongoing probe by a forensic investigator appointed by the department.
“Our instructions are that the contract was not terminated but suspended to facilitate and allow the SIU investigation,” Digital Vibes’ principal director, Radha Hariram, said through her attorney.
Meanwhile, Mkhize told reporters on Friday at the Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg that he welcomes the SIU probe.
The scandal is the latest debacle involving allegations of corruption, with links to Covid-19 procurement, which have rocked the country.