Lungani Zungu
President Cyril Ramaphosa has put Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on special leave – likely the beginning of the end for one of the ANC’s biggest political stars.
“This will enable the minister to attend to allegations and investigations concerning contracts between the Department of Health and a service provider, Digital Vibes,” the presidency said in a statement.
Ramaphosa said he awaits the final Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report before making his final decision on Mkhize.
The Ministry of Health will now be under the control of the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, who will act as minister of health until further notice.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mkhize apologised for being entangled in the Digital Vibes tender but told the media in the Northern Cape that he was not prepared to resign.
Mkhize insisted that he had not pocketed even a cent from the contract.
He warned the media against pre-empting his fate.
This was Mkhize’s first public response since the surfacing of a report of his family benefitting from the R150 million Digital Vibes tender.
Mkhize, the erstwhile premier of KZN, was also set to appear this week before the ANC’s Integrity Commission, chaired by Georg Mashamba.
Calls have been growing for Mkhize to resign and the DA has opened a case against him.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa advised Mkhize to step down during his media briefing in Durban on Tuesday.
Mkhize is no small fry in the ANC, having served as national treasurer. He was nominated by some ANC branches to contest the position of ANC president ahead of the 2017 elective conference.
Image source: @GCIS
