ANC must accept responsibility for stolen Digital Vibes marketing money

19 August 2021  

The civil rights organisation AfriForum today rejected the recent excuse of the Department of Health as communicated by Dr Nicholas Crisp that the Department doesn’t have sufficient funds to market the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign. AfriForum furthermore made a plea to the ANC to take responsibility for stolen funds worth approximately R150 million in the Digital Vibes scandal, so that the national communications campaign can go ahead.  

According to Johan Kruger, Head of Community Development at AfriForum, it isn’t good enough that the ANC is simply shrugging its shoulders. “The ANCs continuous condonation of corruption in its own ranks created the circumstances in which Zweli Mkhize, the former Minister of Health, and his network of looters were able to steal funds that were earmarked for marketing and communication in the national COVID pandemic.” 

Kruger further explains that the presidency asked AfriForum yesterday for a 30-day postponement period with regards to the report that the special investigating unit must hand over to AfriForum regarding the Digital Vibes corruption scandal in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. “The presidency has asked for another 30 days to discuss the sensitive content with implicated persons before it is handed over to AfriForum. Unfortunately, the report has now been at the president for more than two months already and still no contact has been made with these implicated persons, nor has further steps been taken. It is extremely worrying and an obvious manner to waste time and to withhold the content of the report from the public.”  

Issued by Chanté Kelder, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 19 August 2021