Digital Vibes latest: Former senior health dept official Popo Maja’s case postponed

The corruption case of former Department of Health communications director Popo Maja has been postponed until 13 February 2024 in order  for a trial date to be set.

Maja appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, 4 October.

Charges

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, Maja requested during court proceedings for his bail conditions to be relaxed.

“Through his attorney, he asked for a bail condition, where he is supposed to report to the investigating officer every time he leaves Gauteng province, to be relaxed.  The application was granted by the court. However, all other conditions are still applicable.”

Maja is out on bail of R5 000 after handing himself over to the police in June.

He faces charges of two counts of corruption for allegedly receiving two bribes amounting to R15 000 from the controversial Digital Vibes company related to a tender worth more than R140 million to provide communication services to the department for the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme.

ALSO READ: ‘Zweli Mkhize not cleared in Digital Vibes scandal’ – SIU

Digital Vibes

It is alleged that Maja was appointed as a member of the Bid Specification and Bid Evaluation committees in 2019. The committees was tasked to appoint a service provider to provide communication services in relation to the NHI.

It is alleged that on 1 November 2019, the Bid Evaluation Committee members set to evaluate bidders for functional and technical evaluation after Digital Vibes was recommended to be contracted the bid amount of over R141 million for a period of 12 months.

The same day the committee sat, it is alleged that an amount of R10 000 was paid into Maja’s personal bank account from the Digital Vibes bank account.  A month later, on 5 December 2019, an amount of R5 000 was paid into to his personal account by Digital Vibes.

Maja was sanctioned by the Health Department in July last year for his involvement in awarding the tender to Digital Vibes following an internal disciplinary hearing.

He was found guilty of two charges against him, including initiating the request to extend the service-level agreement with Digital Vibes and gross misconduct as a member of the Bid Evaluation Committee.

Zweli Mkhize

Former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize resigned over the Digital Vibes scandal in August 2021 after he was implicated in a R150 million irregular communications contract awarded by his department to Digital Vibes.

Mkhize has denied the allegations against him even though a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe linked him to the contract and the owners of Digital Vibes.

The company was initially contracted to handle the department’s NHI communication work, but its scope was later expanded to include work on the department’s Covid-19 campaigns.

ALSO READ: Digital Vibes: Former health spokesperson Popo Maja due in court on corruption charges