South Africa health minister put on 'special leave'

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's health minister Zweli Mkhize was placed on special leave Tuesday over a corruption scandal.

It involves an irregular government contract where $11 million was paid to a company connected to two people who used to work for him.

Mkhize has been spearheading the COVID-19 response in South Africa, which has the most cases and deaths in Africa.

The move was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in a statement from his office.

It said Mkhize had been placed on special leave from his job "to attend to allegations and investigations" around the unusual contract.

South Africa's minister of tourism will step in as acting health minister, the president said.

South Africa's Special Investigative Unit is still probing the contract and hasn't released a report, although Mkhize's own health department has already described it as "irregular."

Mkhize has denied that he gained anything from the deal and claimed he was not involved in awarding it.

His former personal assistant and former spokeswoman are now connected to the Digital Vibes company, which was awarded the contract to organize press briefings for the minister during the coronavirus pandemic.

There are new allegations that Mkhize's son personally benefited from it.

It's one of multiple corruption scandals that have tainted the South African government's virus response.