Popo Maja will go on trial in 2024.
- The health department’s former spokesperson appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.
- Popo Maja is accused of corruption linked to a multimillion-rand communications tender awarded to Digital Vibes.
- His bail conditions were relaxed to allow him to travel outside of Gauteng.
The bail conditions of former health department spokesperson Popo Maja have been relaxed while he waits for a date for his trial on corruption charges in connection with what is widely known as the Digital Vibes scandal.
Maja, 63, appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.
He is charged with two counts of corruption for his alleged role in awarding a contract worth more than R140 million to a company called Digital Vibes for the provision of communication services related to the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme.
The case was postponed to 13 February for a trial date.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, allegations are that in 2019, Maja was appointed as a member of the Bid Specification and Bid Evaluation Committee, which was tasked with appointing a service provider to provide communication services in relation to the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill.
READ | Senior health dept official Popo Maja charged with corruption over R140m Digital Vibes contract
It recommended that Digital Vibes be awarded the R140-million contract.
Mahanjana said:
[On] the same day the committee sat, it is alleged, R10 000 was paid into Maja’s personal bank account from the Digital Vibes bank account.
“A month later, on 5 December 2019, an amount of R5 000 was paid again to his personal account by Digital Vibes,” Mahanjana added.
During his court appearance on Wednesday, Maja asked for the relaxation of a bail condition that compels him to report to the investigating officer every time he leaves Gauteng.
The application was granted.
All other bail conditions remain unchanged.
The department sanctioned Maja in July 2022.
He was found guilty of two charges and demoted.
The Digital Vibes scandal led to the resignation of former health minister Zweli Mkhize, after claims that he was linked to the company’s alleged owners, Tahera Mather and Naadhira Mitha.
Maja’s case is the second investigation Digital Vibes matter that has come before the court.
Lizeka Tonjeni, an employee of the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is on trial for allegedly accepting a bribe from Digital Vibes to help the company bag a R3.9-million contract from the state organisation.
The MISA falls under the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.