Cape Town – The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it had to abandon an interview with Tahera Mather and Naadira Mitha during its investigation into the R150 million contract awarded by the national Department of Health to service provider Digital Vibes after they initially refused to incriminate themselves.
The pair was among the dozen people earmarked for the SIU’s inquiry.
The SIU report, which was made public on Wednesday, said Mather and Mitha were subpoenaed to be questioned regarding their involvement in the NHI and Covid-19 media campaign related matters.
It said at the inquiry, their legal representative indicated that they would refuse to answer any questions based on their constitutional right against self-incrimination.
“He further indicated that they intended approaching the High Court in respect of the constitutionality of the provisions of section 5(2)(b)&(c) of the SIU Act. Consequently, the inquiry was disbanded,” the report said.
It also said Mather and Mitha’s legal representative subsequently approached the SIU and indicated that they would now be prepared to be questioned.
“This offer will be considered to potentially form part of the ongoing SIU support supplied in respect of civil proceedings and referrals made in terms of the SIU Act,” the report said.
The corruption-busting body interviewed 24 people and obtained the interviewees’ versions of events by way of affidavits.
Those interviewed included officials from the Department of Health, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Municipal Infrastructure South Africa, Auditor General South Africa, Digital Vibes and others.
In its report, the SIU said the evidence it obtained indicated Mather and Mitha committed fraud for tendering for the NHI media campaign contract.
It said the pair used Digital Vibes as a front in order to hide the fact that they were tendering for the contract and “disguised” this, due to the fact that they were close associates of the former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who was the political head of the department.
The report also said evidence obtained showed that Digital Vibes and its owner Radha Hariram committed fraud in that they pretended that the company was tendering for the NHI media campaign contract, whereas they were fronting for Mather and Mitha.
It also said Digital Vibes, Hariram, Mather and Mitha, direct family members of Mkhize, former associates of Mkhize and family members of his associates contravened the provisions of Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act in that they paid and received gratifications resulting from the fact that the department of health had irregularly and unlawfully awarded contract(s) to Digital Vibes.
Furthermore, Digital Vibes (“owned” by Ms Hariram), Ms Hariram (in her personal capacity), Ms Mather and Ms Mitha (at the instance of the Minister), contravened the provisions of section 2 of the POCA (money laundering).
The report also says it appeared that Digital Vibes failed to declare and pay company tax and failed to pay the required VAT to the South African Revenue Service.
Political Bureau