Staff ReporterA former South African government employee has been sentenced to five years in prison for accepting a bribe from a controversial communications company.
Lizeka Tonjeni, who worked for the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), was found guilty of taking R160,000 ($8,500) from Digital Vibes.
Magistrate Nicola Setshoege, presiding over the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Pretoria, described the case as “a classic example of corrupt activities which have become a pandemic in parastatals”.
Tonjeni was the project manager for a R3.9 million ($208,000) communications contract awarded to Digital Vibes in 2018. The court heard that she received 18 payments from the company over two years.
A Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report revealed that Tahera Mather, a former spokesperson for ex-health minister Zweli Mkhize, was one of the de facto owners of Digital Vibes.
This case is part of a larger investigation into Digital Vibes, which has also been scrutinised for a R150 million ($8 million) health department tender. The SIU found that contract to be irregular and unlawful, with allegations that Mr Mkhize and his family benefited from it.
The successful prosecution is seen as a significant development, being the first Digital Vibes-related case to result in a conviction. It highlights the ongoing challenges South Africa faces in combating corruption within its public sectors.
