Brave or brash? Zweli Mkhize to make public appearance on Tuesday
After hiding from the media last week, embattled Health Minister Zweli Mkhize will now be in the full glare of the press on Tuesday, as he engages on his most significant public engagement since he was mired in a corruption scandal.
Zweli Mkhize set to make public appearance on Tuesday
The minister is accused of profiting from a crooked R150 million contract with service provider Digital Vibes. He is alleged to have received kickbacks from the company, who are also suspected of offering bribes to Mkhize’s son. It could well be a tricky day in the spotlight for the 65-year-old, and details of the event have since been made public:
Zweli Mkhize will conduct a walkabout visit at two hospitals in Sol Plaatje.The event, including a media briefing, will take place between 11:30 to 13:30 on Tuesday 8 June.In a recently published Tweet, Mkhize described the Northern Cape as ‘a tough place to run a mass vaccination campaign’.
Health Minister hoping to avoid ‘Digital Vibes’ grilling
According to the Health Department, Zweli Mkhize is on-site to ‘assess the Northern Cape’s management of new COVID cases and the vaccine rollout’. The province was the first in SA to officially declare itself in a third wave of infections.
“The Minister of Health, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, will visit Northern Cape tomorrow to assess the Province’s management of their third wave and its vaccine rollout status in that context.”
“The Minister will visit Galeshewe Day Hospital and Harmony Home Centre in the Sol Plaatje local municipality, which are both vaccination centres. A media briefing will be held at the end of the programme at Harmony Home.”
However, Tweets confirming his diary for the day ahead didn’t exactly gain a sympathetic response online:
Isn’t this man supposed to have been arrested by now?
— Happy Med Student (@pouroverguy) June 8, 2021
So how much did this message cost?? #DigitalVibes
— Deno Rich (@denorich) June 8, 2021
When are you resigning?
— Blaq Diamond (@sibusisojabula3) June 8, 2021
