Johannesburg - Individuals or entities implicated in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU’s) Digital Vibes report have been give time to object to its publication.
According to the Presidency, Cyril Ramaphosa has allowed for objections to be made.
The SIU made a number of referrals to the Presidency regarding specific individuals for disciplinary action.
“These referrals are being acted upon,” acting spokesperson Tyrone Seale said in a statement on Thursday.
In the statement, Seale confirmed that Ramaphosa had received a report and referral on the Digital Vibes matter from the SIU in early July.
According to Seale, at the time, the Presidency stated its commitment to keep the public abreast of developments in this matter in a manner that preserves information that may be, or become, the subject of prosecution, civil action or disciplinary proceedings.
“In the interests of fairness and in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act – and as a result of a number of applications to have sight of the report – the Presidency has sent third-party notices to all persons or entities referred to in the report, so they may have an opportunity to object to its publication or part thereof,” Seale said.
Each party would receive the information they require to enable them to make their decision as it affects their own interests, the Presidency said.
The SIU this week conceded that former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize could have committed crime in the R50 million communications contract the Health Department previously awarded to service provider Digital Vibes.
Briefing Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Wednesday, SIU head Andy Mothibi said the corruption-busting unit continued to obtain information in the matter even after it recently submitted its final report to Ramaphosa.
“There are still allegations that are coming in. We will soon be pronouncing,” Mothibi said.
The head of the investigating unit said although a final report was submitted to Ramaphosa, they would still conduct probes should new evidence come their way.
He added that where they found evidence pointing to a criminal action, the evidence would be referred by the law enforcement agencies to the National Prosecuting Authority and other regulatory bodies.
Political Bureau