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R150-million scandal kingpin “will be out office today”

R150-million scandal kingpin “will be out office today”

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER Dr Anban Pillay, a top South African civil servant identified as the kingpin in the R150-million communication tender scandal has been served with a suspension letter and would be "out of the office today", Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has announced Phaahla told a media briefing that he had only received the report of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) on Wednesday and could only act now. The report had been with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa for weeks. The SIU's report found that Pillay, then acting-Director  General in the Department of Health, lied and committed financial misconduct. "We…
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SA’s ex-minister could face criminal charges

SA’s ex-minister could face criminal charges

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER DR Zweli Mkhize, South Africa’s former health minister who resigned at the height of a corruption scandal, faces possible criminal charges. This was revealed by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) during a presentation to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts. According to Advocate Andy Mothibi’s presentation to the committee, the evidence of possible criminal conduct in the Digital Vibes matter, which involves a R150-million communication tender awarded to close associates of Mkhize. Mkhize’s case is among the 19 cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision. Mothibi said the SIU had hoped that its…
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SA new cabinet ministers sworn in after reshuffle

SA new cabinet ministers sworn in after reshuffle

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH African new Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has been sworn in, along with several deputies. President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired his defence minister, appointed Godongwana as part of the 10 major changes to his cabinet and introduced a restructure of government departments. Godongwana, an ANC and SA Communist Party veteran was appointed as the new Finance Minister, to replace Tito Mboweni, who requested to be released from his position. After his swearing in, Godongwana said South Africa should be ready for some positive changes that he will introduce. Ramaphosa axed Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,…
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SA’s ex-health minister turns to courts

SA’s ex-health minister turns to courts

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER DR Zweli Mkhize, who resigned as South Africa’s Health Minister ahead of a cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is taking the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), which found that he was implicated in alleged corruption, to court. In his letter of resignation, Mkhize was scathing of the SIU but said he felt he had to resign to enable Ramaphosa to have a full-functional cabinet. “I remain committed to working under your leadership, and it is an honour for me to serve the people of South Africa in our government‘s quest to deliver a better life for all.…
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Mkhize is the 3rd African Health Minister in trouble

Mkhize is the 3rd African Health Minister in trouble

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH Africa’s Dr Zweli Mkhize has become the third health mininster in Africa to get in trouble after being implicated in corruption. Mkhize's suspension yesterday by President Cyril Ramaphosa comes a few months after his counterparts in Zimbabwe and Zambia lost their jobs after being implicated in corruption related to services offered in the battle against COVID-19. Zimbabwean Obaddiah Moyo was fired as health minister and replaced by Deputy President Constantino Chiwenga after allegations of corruption were levelled against him. Moyo was implicated in a $60-million dollar COVID-19 supply deal. In Zambia then Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya…
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‘Mkhize matter will be dealt with’

‘Mkhize matter will be dealt with’

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, under pressure to act against Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, who has been implicated in a R150-million scandal, has asked the public to allow for due process to run its course before he acts. In remarks delivered during his encounter with the media yesterday, Ramaphosa promised that the matter would not be swept under the carpet. The SA president has been under pressure to act against Mkhize who has allegedly benefitted from a company that won the R150-million. Yesterday, the Democratic Alliance, laid criminal charges against the Health Minister. Ramaphosa said: “This…
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Ramaphosa ask for time on Dr Mkhize

Ramaphosa ask for time on Dr Mkhize

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SOUTH Africa's Health Minister Dr Zweli is fighting a rear-guard battle to save his political career following damaging revelations implicating him in a R150-million COVID-19 scandal. New revelations show that a company that received the R150-million tender paid for work done at Mkhize's Johannesburg home. SA president Cyril Ramaphosa has pleaded for more time before he decides on a course of action in connection with the scandal. Speaking for the first time since the scandal broke, Ramaphosa revealed that Mkhize had briefed him about the matter. The president said the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was in the…
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South Africa targets 5 million elderly people in phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine rollout

South Africa targets 5 million elderly people in phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine rollout

SOUTH Africa will launch phase two of its vaccine rollout today with the aim of inoculating five million citizens aged over 60 by the end of June, the health minister said yesterday. "This is provided that the supply of vaccines flows as anticipated. By the end of June we expect to have received 4.5 million doses of Pfizer and 2 million doses from Johnson & Johnson," the minister, Zweli Mkhize, said during a webinar.
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Four cases of ‘Indian variant’ in South Africa

Four cases of ‘Indian variant’ in South Africa

SOUTH Africa has detected the first four cases of a new coronavirus variant that emerged in India and was responsible for a surge of infections and deaths in the Asian country. Testing had also picked up 11 cases of the variant B.1.1.7 first detected in the UK, the health ministry said in a statement. "The Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa confirmed today that two variants of concern, other than the B.1.351 already dominating in South Africa, have been detected," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said. The four positive cases were detected in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, and all had…
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‘Vaccine down payments terms among onerous’

‘Vaccine down payments terms among onerous’

WENDELL ROELF and ALEXANDER WINNING SOUTH Africa agreed to onerous conditions like non-refundable down payments to secure COVID-19 vaccines from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Pfizer, its health minister said on Wednesday, describing terms vaccine manufacturers had demanded as "difficult and sometimes unreasonable". The country worst-hit by the pandemic on the African continent in terms of coronavirus infections and deaths is counting on the single-dose J&J and double-shot Pfizer vaccines to ramp up immunisations after a slow start. It has signed deals with the two firms for a combined 61 million doses, enough to vaccinate 46 million people out of…
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