Presidency considers making SIU's Digital Vibes report public

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report into the Digital Vibes scandal could be made public, with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office confirming that he is mulling over it and has started contacting implicated individuals.

This is to give them an opportunity to have a say if they object to the report being made public.

In a statement on Wednesday, the presidency said the third-party notices that had been sent to companies and individuals involved is in the interest of keeping the public abreast of developments in the investigation.

The investigation by the SIU concluded that former health minister Zweli Mkhize caused irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and may have been negligent when approving budgets in respect of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and Covid-19 campaigns. The report concluded that a conflict of interest existed in the appointment of Digital Vibes.

“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 people or entities referred to in the report, so they may have an opportunity to object to its publication or part thereof.

“Each of them will receive the information they require to enable them to make their decision as it affects their own interests,” the presidency said.

Mkhize resigned as health minister last month, vowing to challenge the SIU findings, saying the SIU had a predetermined outcome and a closed mind in its investigation of the contract.

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