‘Comrades, not personal friends’: Mkhize ducks into own goal

It was meant to be the match-winning shot. Instead, for Mkhize it was a spectacular own goal. “They were comrades, not personal friends.”

With this sentence, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize laid bare the ethical vacuum at the heart of the ANC and his own unsuitability as a minister and for the position he covets, the presidency.

Trying to absolve himself from responsibility for what a forensic investigation described as a “highly irregular” R150-million tender awarded to cronies, Mkhize issued a long exculpatory statement.

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The nub of it was that we should all understand it had nothing to with him. Mkhize stated that he had not in any way participated in, or influenced, the appointment of Digital Vibes.

As minister, he was responsible for strategic functions and was “only informed once the whole procurement and administrative process [had] been concluded”.

That portion of Mkhize’s defence was immediately demolished by none other than Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu.

Commenting on Mkhize’s plea of ignorance, Mchunu said there were no dodgy dealings in government departments and entities without anyone, including the executive, not knowing.

Ministers were responsible for administering their departments, which meant they could not be absolved because they said they did not know.

If Mchunu’s position on ministerial accountability were to be implemented in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration, it would bring not only a sea change to the composition of his Cabinet, but to every aspect of our society.

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A defining characteristic of the post-1994 epoch is the complete erosion in every sphere of South African life of anyone taking responsibility for anything.

At least as difficult to eradicate will be the prevailing ethos in the ANC – so succinctly and damningly articulated by Mkhize – that as long as they’re “comrades” and not “personal friends”, the award of tenders and jobs to the political elite is perfectly okay.

Mkhize’s impassioned justifications ring thin and tinny in many aspects. It beggars belief that the main figures in Digital Vibes were mere party associates.

One had worked in Mkhize’s foundation; three were leading figures in his #Unity campaign at the 2017 leadership conference; one was a private secretary in his office.

They travelled with Mkhize on official business, both locally and internationally. Selfies with Mkhize appear on their Facebook pages and his.

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It further beggars belief that an ersatz company – no track record and a “managing director” who doubles as a petrol pump jockey at a seedy Stanger garage – could win a R150-million tender without there being corruption at stratospheric government levels.

Digital Vibes was paid R3.65 million to “organise” Mkhize’s appearance on a SABC news bulletin to announce the second wave of Covid.

It is difficult to understand why, except as a fraudulent ploy, an outside company would be paid top dollar to organise the appearance of a Cabinet minister on the public broadcaster.

Whatever next happens next to Mkhize will have little to do with justice as it is conventionally understood. His fate is a matter of political expediency.

William Saunderson-Meyer.