DM VILLAIN OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP 2022
Zweli Mkhize – a sick state of affairs and a lot of bad vibes
The former health minister has contributed to South Africa’s ailing health system and economy. He is Daily Maverick's South African Villain of the Year runner-up.
Zweli Mkhize, who was the health minister from 2019 to 2021, was involved in the collapse of the country’s health system during a pandemic.
Many people’s loved ones died from Covid-19, some due to a lack of beds, food and oxygen tanks in hospitals.
In total, South Africa recorded nearly 103,000 deaths and 4.04 million positive cases as a result of Covid-19.
One would think that with the billions of rands donated and loaned to SA we would at least have a new hospital to show for it, after the pandemic. However, we are left with what is soon to be another State Capture inquiry, a villain who had set his sights on becoming the next president, and no vibes this festive season. Not even digital vibes.
How to be a villain 101
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigated Mkhize in the awarding of a communication tender, worth R150-million, to a company called Digital Vibes. This came after Scorpio journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh exposed the shady deal.
Mkhize was quite generous with this amount – not to the millions of ordinary citizens who depend on the healthcare system, but to his family and friends.
Myburgh discovered that R82-million had been spent in total on Covid-19 communication, which raised eyebrows for him. Digital Vibes was revealed to be listed under company director Radha Hariram, who “was a front for Tahera Mather: a figure familiar to political journalists as Mkhize’s longtime aide”, reported Daily Maverick.
Mkhize’s daughter-in-law received money to open a nail bar and, in previous years, Mkhize’s wife also received millions to buy a farm.
Mkhize’s plans to become South Africa’s next president have been scuppered now that Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected president of the ANC. DM168
Mabula is an intern from Stellenbosch University’s Centre of Journalism and Media Studies honours programme.
How we chose the People of the Year winners
In the past, Daily Maverick journalists decided who they thought warranted the title of Person of the Year, but for the second year running, we have asked readers to vote for their preferred choice, with the proviso that we still have the final say. Choosing the annual winners is a labour of love because that’s what it takes to get a bunch of DM editors to decide whether they agree or disagree with the choices of 13,000 readers. Over the next few days, we shall republish online all the results in various categories. – Heather Robertson, DM168 editor
This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.
And yet …… He was still regarded by the ANC as possible contender for the top spot ! Says it all.
Crooks abound, Dr Digital Vibes is no exception.
Now criminals of his ilk are threatening the stability of this country, just so they avoid prison and continue their sickening avarice. Now we hear that Eskom power stations are under serious threat and soldiers must protect them against thieving and rotten syndicates.
This man took the Hippocratic oath to protect life. He was Minister of Health in service of the people of South Africa. In the midst of the most deadly pandemic the world has ever known this doctor diverted precious life saving resources………………TO BUY A NAIL BAR! Amongst other fripperies.
Bad enough. But he secured some 1 800 votes from delegates at the ANC elective conference, just missing the presidency but securing a firm place in the NEC. There he will in future be in a position to influence decisions that would curtail or promote the endemic corruption that is destroying this country. Such is the stuff of our democratically elected leaders.
This man has left me feeling deeply disappointed. During the covid pandemic he appeared to be a voice of reason and
I admired his calm efficiency. When the allegations first surfacd I hoped that it was just another spiteful cadre hoping to tarnish his name for selfish political advancement and that he would be exonerated. I should not have doubted our intrepid Pieter-Louis Myberg, he usually gets his facts straight and this case has proven to be no exception. Corruption is a cancer in the ANC and this man succumbed to it as well. Just like the majority of the larcenous bunch who have destroyed our beloved country.
This is an utterly pathetic article.
This ia an utterly pathetic comment. What are you trying to say? 0/10
Ah ok, you need me to spell it out. Have a look at the first sentence of the article. It is inane, boring, humdrum, a bland statement of Mkhize’s “contribution”.
Then have a look at the next sentence. Now he stands accused of being “involved in the collapse of the country’s health system during a pandemic”. Oh really? Did the health system actually collapse? Rubbish.
And what follows is a mish-mash of preposterous writing, even with mention of “another State Capture inquiry” Huh?!?
Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t defend Mkhize in any way. It is just that this article is awfully dumb. Also, why Mkhize now in 2022? This scandal is all so 2021.
This brief summary of Mkhizes corruption saga should have been out there before the ANC conference along with adverts for the excellent and thorough book. Why now?