The Special Tribunal has ruled in favour of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to go ahead and add more companies in its investigation as it tries to recover R150 million from the tender awarded Digital Vibes.
It is alleged that the tender was paid to companies linked to the former health minister Zweli Mkhize, his relatives and close associates.Judge Lobogang Modiba gave judgement on the matter on Wednesday.
The SIU views the ruling as a victory after it was accused in March, of being “overzealous” in its pursuit to recover funds from companies linked to the former health minister and his associates. The SIU argued that it should be allowed to collect money from six companies which unduly benefited from the Digital Vibes tender.
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The Special Tribunal granted the SIU permission to investigate five of the six companies. The companies ordered to pay back are All-Out Trading for R1 090 000, Tusokuhle Farming for R1 255 000, Cedar Falls Properties for R1 888 727, Sirela Trading for R586 272 and Sithokozile Mkhize for R650 098. Cedar Falls Properties had Zweli Mkhize’s ex-wife listed as the sole director. Tusokuhle Farming was linked to Zweli Mkhize’s son Dedani.
Modiba’s judgement comes after Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ interests cleared Dr. Zweli Mkhize from allegedly unduly benefitting from the Digital Vibes tender. The committee argued that Mkhize’s son is independent and can make his own decisions, which then cleared Mkhize from being held liable. The registrar wrote to Mkhize informing him that he had not breached the ethics code.
Source: News24, Jacaranda FM, Polity, image from Jacaranda FM
