Dylan Bettencourt
Investigators looking into the scandalous Digital Vibes contract have only managed to reclaim R12 million from those who illegally profited from the R150 million tender.
On Tuesday, Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head advocate Andy Mothibi presented the investigation results into the purchasing of Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) and other matters related to the parliament’s finances.
“The SIU submitted and filed its review application to the Special Tribunal against Digital Vibes and 29 others to review and set aside the two contracts that were awarded by the national Department of Health (NDoH) to Digital Vibes,” Mothibi said during his presentation.
The aim of the investigation, Mothibi explained, was “to recover the full value (approximately R150 million) paid out under such unlawful and invalid contract.”
The South African health department contracted Digital Vibes for the National Health Insurance (NHI) campaign in 2019, with former health minister Zweli Mkhize pressuring the department to appoint the company owned by two of his close associates.
The SIU confirmed that Mkhize approved two budget applications from Digital Vibes for NHI communication, worth a combined total of R132 million.
Image source: @TheCitizen
