Shocking new evidence in Digital Vibes case

DAMNING new evidence in the R150million Digital Vibes unlawful National Health Insurance (NHI) and Covid-19 communications contracts case against the company, several others and their directors, former health minister Zweli Mkhize and his family members, will be introduced.

- LOYISO SIDIMBA

This follows the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) being given the green light by the Special Tribunal to have its third supplementary founding affidavit by one of its investigators and global professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, confirmatory affidavit admitted in the main application, in which the SIU wants two contracts awarded to Digital Vibes reviewed and set aside for lack of compliance with the applicable constitutional, statutory, and regulatory provisions.

According to the unit, the National Department of Health (NDoH) made payments to Digital Vibes totalling just over R150m, comprising over R25m paid for the NHI contract and about R125m for the Covid-19 media campaign contract.

The SIU's application was unopposed by Digital Vibes and Mateta Projects, which have been accused of merely using their bank account to obscure the source of payments, separate from those made by the NDoH to Digital Vibes.

At the tribunal, the SIU stated that should the admission of the third supplementary affidavit be refused and not be admitted into evidence, crucial evidence explaining the laundering of the proceeds from the impugned contracts between the NDoH and Digital Vibes will fall by the wayside.

In addition, the fraud and corruption-busting unit alleged that there were documents supporting its case that the Mkhize family — identified by the SIU as the chairperson of the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ wife, Dr May Mkhize, their son Dedani, and the family’s business associate Sokhela - derived significant personal benefit from public funds.