The release of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report into the R150m Digital Vibes scandal appears to confirm our worst fears - that our health minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, was allegedly complicit in corrupting a crucial communication tender that, as a result, has undermined SAs fight against Covid-19.
As reported on Sunday Times Daily on Thursday, the SIU found Mkhize blatantly ignored a cabinet memorandum advising that the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) roll out the National Health Insurance (NHI) communications strategy to save costs. Instead, the SIU found, Mkhize went out of his way to ensure Digital Vibes, the company linked to his close associates, was awarded the tender from the national department of health (NDOH). That contract was then extended beyond NHI to focus on Covid-19.
There was also a conflict of interest on Mkhize’s part, the SIU said, because his associates, Tahera Mather and Naadhira Mitha, “under the guise of Digital Vibes, were unlawfully and irregularly appointed by the NDOH in respect of the NHI and Covid-19 media campaigns”.
On top of this, Mkhize’s family members, including his son, Dedani Mkhize, his former associates and/or family members of such former associates, stand accused of benefiting unduly from the tender, something Mkhize “failed to declare”.
The SIU said: “At best this conduct on the part of the minister was improper and, at worst, the conduct of the minister was unlawful.”
The report and its findings must be welcomed and anyone found to have done wrong criminally prosecuted.
The report and its findings must be welcomed and anyone found to have done wrong criminally prosecuted.
It is especially sickening to read details of how a health tender was corrupted, particular in the midst of a deadly pandemic. This is why it was particularly difficult listening to President Cyril Ramaphosa defend Mkhize on Wednesday night.
Speaking to media, Ramaphosa said the fact Mkhize was implicated in the Digital Vibes scandal did not take away the contribution he made in fighting the pandemic.
“He has served the nation well and I think as much as we want to be gung-ho and send him to the gallows, we do need to also recognise some of the things that he has done,” said Ramaphosa.
While that might be true, it is a dangerous sentiment that threatens to undermine the country’s fight against corruption. The president is essentially saying Mkhize did bad, but also did good. That’s not how it works. It’s a false dichotomy.
Towards the end of last year, English comedian James Acaster and Scottish TV presenter Lorraine Kelly were involved in an on-air exchange that speaks to this.
Kelly named Piers Morgan as one of her heroes of the year and Acaster was brutal in his response.
“You don’t get to stop being a villain for two seconds and now you’re a hero. If you watch Superman or something, and all the way through Lex Luthor is busy killing everyone, and at one point he’s nice to an old lady and everyone goes: ‘Well done, Lex. Screw you, Superman’,” he says.
While the comment is clearly for humorous effect, the principle is sound.
The good Mkhize did is overshadowed by the bad. The faith he built up early on has been completely eroded. There are now question marks over at least seven officials in the health department because of the Digital Vibes saga, with suspension letters due to be handed out by the end of Thursday, according to health minister Dr Joe Phaahla.
The good Mkhize did is overshadowed by the bad.
But more than this, the support of Mkhize threatens to undermine Ramaphosa’s self-proclaimed corruption-busting status.
Just two weeks ago, he defended his actions as president when it came to tackling graft, including the establishment of a commission of inquiry into Sars and the PIC and appointing new leadership at the Hawks and NPA.
“While there is much more work that needs to be done to fight corruption, particularly the kind of corruption that impacts directly on people’s lives, there is clear evidence that after years of impunity progress is being made in bringing those responsible to account,” he said.
But backing Mkhize’s record flies in the face of these claims. The president should instead call for action against those involved, not defend the track record of someone seen as close to him.
Now, perhaps more than ever in the context of the pandemic, the president should be calling for consequences for wrongdoing. Wednesday’s comments were simply not good enough.
