SIU report on Digital vibes released

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the publication of the final Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report into the Health Department's irregular awarding of communication tender of R150m to Digital Vibes, which was paid over a 1-year period.

Ramaphosa received the report in early July 2021.

Presidency spokesperson Tyrone Seale says the report was released in the interest of fairness and in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

“The Presidency subsequently sent third-party notices to all persons or entities referred to in the report, so they could have an opportunity to object to its publication or part thereof. This was done in the interest of fairness and in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), following a number of PAIA applications by persons and parties who wished to have sight of the report.”

SIU says the Department of Health’s acting director-general Anban Pillay should be criminally prosecuted for his role in irregular awarding of communication tender to Digital Vibes.

“The obtained evidence indicates that Dr Pillay, as the ‘Acting’ DG of the NDOH during the Covid-19 media campaign, should be criminally prosecuted for ‘financial misconduct’, as envisaged in section the Public Finance Management Act,” the report says.

“Furthermore, Dr Pillay, in a letter to the National Treasury dated 11 May 2020 where he requested approval to deviate from normal procurement procedures, made numerous material intentional misrepresentations to the National Treasury in an attempt to obtain belated approval to deviate from normal procurement procedures. The obtained evidence indicates that he committed fraud in this regard.

“Furthermore, in respect of the Covid-19 media campaign in his capacity as ‘Acting’ DG of the NDOH, his conduct or omissions amounted to gross misconduct, gross dereliction of duty, and/or gross negligence.”

 

Done By: Mitchum George