Forensic Firms Appointed To Probe Digital Vibes Contract

The Health Department has appointed several forensic firms to investigate the Digital Vibes contract.

Its Director-General, Dr Sandile Buthelezi, says this is after alarms were raised last year about the issue.

It’s been alleged Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize benefited from this contract, which was awarded to some of his close associates.

Buthelezi has also been implicated in the investigation.

“This matter is with law enforcement and I’m directly implicated so cannot go into details,” Buthelezi told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health.

“We appointed a number of forensic firms to do investigations. We received a report from firms but at the time Digital Vibes became public and SIU took interest in investigating specifically that matter.”

The SIU report confirms there were irregularities in awarding the contract to Digital vibes.

But Buthelezi says although the report is completed, it’s not yet finalised.

Buthelezi says he was also advised not to comment any further on the matter.

“So where we are now the report is not yet final until the SIU finalised the other aspects in terms of the report,” he said.

“Now that the matter has been formally reported to SAPS I have been advised to refrain from further commenting on the report besides that the report is with the SIU.

“It is only then when we were given the green light by the SIU to start and disciplinary processes and any other issues that are there.”

Mkhize was a no-show at the briefing on Friday.

Committee Chair Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo told members the minister informed him on Thursday night he’d been legally advised to not attend the briefing.