Ithuba Holdings implicated in Digital Vibes tender scandal – report – EWN

Previous revelations by Scorpio have shown that funds from an irregular R150 million tender issued by the Health Department were laundered to entities owned by associates of former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
JOHANNESBURG – Ithuba Holdings – the operator of South Africa’s National Lottery – is the latest company to be dragged into the multi-million-rand Digital Vibes tender scandal.
Previous revelations by Scorpio have shown that funds from an irregular R150 million tender issued by the national Department of Health were laundered to entities owned by associates of former health minister Zweli Mkhize.
In its latest findings – Scorpio has established that Ithuba Holdings donated 100,000 face masks – and paid a sum over to a company called Spin Wizards.
However, it’s been established that there was an original deal to supply the masks with the company Tammy Taylor South Africa – and this second transaction was a duplicate – amounting to R6 million.
The money then allegedly found its way into the accounts of companies owned by the son of the former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and other associates.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – Mkhize and Police Minister Bheki Cele accepted a donation of 100,000 face masks from Ithuba Holdings during a televised event.
Scorpio has now established that the masks were bought from a company called Spin Wizards communications for a sum of R5.9 million rand.
The investigation shows that the funds eventually made their way into businesses owned by some of Mkhize’s associates including his son – Dedani and former personal assistant Tahera Mather.
Scorpio also details that the face masks had been originally sourced by Digital Vibes from Tammy Taylor South Africa.
Digital Vibes had paid close to R5.2 million rand for the masks after receiving R8 million from the Department of Health in April 2020.
In response, Ithuba Holdings said Spin Wizards was just a random supplier of masks.
It said it was not aware of the entity’s links to individuals associated with Digital Vibes, and it certainly didn’t willingly partake in any dubious scheme.

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