Zweli Mkhize
Zweli Mkhize — medical doctor, former KwaZulu-Natal Premier, and ANC Treasurer-General — was appointed Minister of Health by Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2019 and became the face of South Africa’s COVID-19 pandemic response. His reputation as “one of the good guys” in the ANC, and his credibility as a medical professional, made him a credible pandemic manager — until May 2021 when Daily Maverick revealed that his department had awarded a R150m communications contract to Digital Vibes, an obscure company owned by Tahera Mather, described as his “long-time spin doctor”. The resulting scandal — one of the most clearly documented cases of minister-level COVID tender fraud in Africa — cost him the Health Ministry, likely his presidency ambitions, and remains unresolved before the Special Tribunal and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as of early 2026.
The Digital Vibes scheme: Digital Vibes received R150m from the National Department of Health under two contracts: one for COVID-19 public communications and one for National Health Insurance (NHI) communications. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU)‘s September 2021 report found that Mkhize’s conduct in approving the tender was “unlawful” and that a WhatsApp message he sent to the Director-General on 15 July 2019 demonstrated a vested personal interest in Digital Vibes being appointed. Digital Vibes paid out R90m of the R150m to over 20 individuals and entities. Mkhize and his son Dedani received approximately R9m combined. Also implicated: his wife Dr May Mkhize (at the time chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs — a parliamentary oversight body), and a family associate named Sokhela. The SIU characterised the money flows as “laundering of the proceeds from the impugned contracts.” By September 2025, the SIU had introduced new PricewaterhouseCoopers-backed evidence documenting the money laundering pathways in greater detail.
Accountability gap: The SIU referred Mkhize and his son Dedani to the NPA for possible charges in July 2021. Mkhize resigned from the Health Ministry in August 2021. He challenged the SIU’s presidential report in the High Court, seeking to have the referral to Ramaphosa set aside. As of September 2025, no criminal charges had been filed, the Special Tribunal proceedings continued, and Mkhize remained in ANC structures and public life. The Digital Vibes case is frequently cited alongside the broader COVID-19 PPE corruption landscape — the SIU investigated over 600 companies and R5bn in emergency procurement contracts under Proclamation R23 of 2020, successfully overturning numerous contracts before the Special Tribunal, while criminal accountability for senior figures has remained elusive.
Connections
- Special Investigating Unit (SIU) — SIU report September 2021: “unlawful” conduct; referred Mkhize and Dedani to NPA; new PwC evidence September 2025; Special Tribunal proceedings ongoing
- National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) — SIU referral July 2021; no charges as of 2026; exemplifies NPA accountability gap on COVID corruption
- Cyril Ramaphosa — appointed Mkhize as Health Minister 2019; received SIU presidential report; accepted Mkhize’s resignation August 2021
- Zondo Commission — COVID-19 procurement not directly in Zondo’s Terms of Reference (Zondo focused on state capture pre-2019); Digital Vibes is a post-Zondo accountability failure
- ANC (African National Congress) — Mkhize was ANC Treasurer-General; KZN premier; COVID scandal ended his presidential prospects at ANC elective conference