Durban — The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was allegedly instructed to move swiftly to ensure that former health minister Zweli Mkhize is charged to hinder his participation in the ANC’s elective conference in December.
Political pressure to charge and arrest Mkhize has been met with resistance from his supporters who have vowed to protect and support him. His supporters believe he is politically targeted.
In July 2021 the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) referred Mkhize to the NPA after an investigative report by the SIU found that the selection of Digital Vibes to conduct National Health Insurance and Covid-19 media campaigns was irregular, as were subsequent extensions and modifications of the contract.
The ANC deputy chairperson of General Gizenga Mpaza region, Bheka Dlamini, said his region had been made aware of the plans to have Mkhize arrested before the conference so that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid for a second term would not be hindered by Mkhize. Dlamini said Mkhize enjoyed the support of many within the ANC who also felt that Ramaphosa was not representing their interests.
“As the region, we have a clear vision of Zweli Mkhize and we are aware of the political agenda to have him arrested. We know why they had waited this long. In fact, we were expecting this because we know how they play their dirty games using the arms of the state.”
Dlamini described Mkhize as a principled leader who voluntarily stepped down because there were allegations levelled against him. Dlamini said there was never an admission of guilt and the highest parliamentary ethics committee cleared Mkhize of any wrongdoing.
“He stepped down so that law enforcement agencies may conduct investigations without him interfering with the process. It is clear that law enforcement agencies are being used to fight political battles, and, as you can see, all security agencies of the state are now in the hands of the president who is using them for his own personal interests,” Dlamini said.
“This is why he can keep $4 million (R68m) in his Phala Phala farm, kidnap, bribe and use the police to conduct his own illegal operations and nothing happens to him because he does as he pleases. The president does not even advocate for the policies or resolutions of his party because he simply does not care,” said Dlamini.
In April, the joint ethics committee in parliament cleared Mkhize and stated that he had not breached the code of ethics and did not unduly benefit from the Digital Vibes campaign.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “Our referrals to the NPA were done in July 2021 long before the parliamentary ethics committee. The ethics committee's decision had no bearing on the referrals. The SIU is not used by anyone. We investigated without fear, favour or prejudice.”
NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga dismissed the allegations that Ramaphosa was exerting pressure on the NPA to charge Mkhize. However, he did not respond to whether there was any intention to charge him.
Approached for comment, spokesperson for Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya said that all questions should be referred to the SIU.
Asked for a comment, Mkhize said he had not been approached or made aware of NPA plans to charge him. But he said he had observed the use of state institutions to fight political battles.
“What we are seeing is the rise of political interference in the functions of our key democratic institutions that should carry out their tasks without any fear or favour. So it is worrying that political functions run so deep to a point where one would resort to playing dirty tricks,” Mkhize said.
Last October, Mkhize approached the High Court in Johannesburg to set aside the SIU’s damning findings and declare them unconstitutional and unlawful.
He said that he was challenging the improper manner in which the SIU had imputed responsibility to him by ignoring evidence that did not fit its preconceived conclusions about his alleged involvement in the Digital Vibes appointment.
Mkhize supporters are adamant that Mkhize is the right candidate to take the ANC forward.
One of his key supporters in the eThekwini region, Simphiwe Blose, said many branches within the ANC were rooting for Mkhize to run for president.
Blose said Mkhize enjoyed the support of nine of the 11 regions in KZN. The regions were set to pronounce him as their party presidential candidate after the province had elected new leaders in the provincial elective conference sitting this weekend in Durban.
Daily News