- The Special Tribunal has dismissed an application for leave to appeal by five companies linked to Digital Vibes.
- The SIU applied to investigate the companies jointly with Digital Vibes for the R150 million tender.
- The application was dismissed on Wednesday.
An application for leave to appeal a ruling in favour of adding more companies to the Special Investigating Unit's (SIU) bid to recover money allegedly siphoned from the government's tender with Digital Vibes has been dismissed.
Special Tribunal Judge Lebogang Modiba dismissed the application on Wednesday.
The tribunal had previously ordered that five of the six companies be joined to the SIU's recovery bid.
The companies identified in the appeal application are All-Out Trading (Pty) Ltd, Tusokuhle Farming (Pty) Ltd, Sithokozile Khalipele Mkhize, Cedar falls Properties 34 (Pty) Ltd and Sirela Trading (Pty) Ltd.
May Mkhize, the wife of former health minister Zweli Mkhize, was listed as the sole director of Cedar Falls Properties, while Tusokuhle Farming was linked to their son, Dedani Mkhize, News24 reported.
In June, advocates Greg Harpur SC and WAJ Nicholson SC argued there was no reason to include their clients in the SIU's recovery bid.
Harpur, represented Tusokuhle Farming and Sirela Trading, and Nicholson represented All Out Trading and Sithokozile Khalipele Mkhize.
Mateta Projects allegedly received initial payments from Digital Vibes and, in turn, disbursed payments to Sirela Trading, a company linked to Sokhela, listed in the judgment as a respondent.