Zizi Kodwa, the minister of sports, arts and culture, has resigned with immediate effect amid bribery allegations.
Kodwa was formally charged with accepting bribes alongside co-accused businessman Jehan Mackay in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
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The duo was arrested on charges related to State Capture and were released on R30 000 bail each. According to Kodwa’s spokesperson, Litha Mpondwana, Kodwa resigned as minister with immediate effect and noted that he strongly denied the charges against him.
He was 25th on the ANC’s national list of members headed for parliament, Daily Maverick reports.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the ‘step-aside policy’ would come into effect after Kodwa was formally charged. ‘We respect the rule of law,’ she said. ‘There is really no question about that. All I can say is that we have noted that (the court appearance) and the step aside policy will kick in.’
It was his first court appearance in connection to the corruption charges, which allege that he received R1.6 million in bribes between April 2015 and February 2016.
Mackay is the director of Tactical Software Systems (TSS) and former senior executive of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH).
The Hawks confirmed that two people were arrested on Wednesday morning after they handed themselves over to the Bramley Police Station in connection with the Zondo Commission’s recommendations on State Capture.
‘The arrest of the pair was as a result of an ongoing investigation into corruption at state owned entities, and following recommendations by the Zondo Commission on State Capture. The two are to face charges relating to the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act,’ Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said in a statement.
‘After the commission released the fourth report in June 2022, where several recommendations required that law enforcement agencies should institute criminal investigations, the National Head of the DPCI, established a State Capture task team to investigate identified matters.’
‘Amongst those recommendations, was a case involving an entity which specializes in the provision of technology services to businesses, IT services, systems integration, software, industrial technology and business process outsourcing received tenders from various Government departments.’
‘Investigation revealed that during the period from 28 April 2015 to 2 February 2018, an executive on behalf of his entity enticed his co-accused to gratification amounting to R1 710 000 for the personal benefit. The monies are reported to have been utilised for the purchasing of a luxury SUV and payment of luxury accommodation.’
State prosecutor Neville Mogagabe confirmed that the two were charged with violating the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (Precca) and corruption.
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As reported by Daily Maverick, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo recommended that President Cyril Ramaphosa ‘consider’ Kodwa’s position regarding the debts he owes to Mackay, who reportedly bribed politicians and paid donations to the ANC.
Zondo reportedly discovered that in 2015 and 2016, EOH entities and Mackay made cash payments amounting to R1.68 million for Kodwa’s benefit. This included a R1 million loan used by Kodwa to purchase a car, as well as hundreds of thousands spent on luxury accommodation. Additionally, Mackay spent an additional R30 000 on Kodwa’s behalf.
During his testimony at the Zondo Commission in June 2021, Kodwa testified that he met Mackay in 2013 and that they subsequently became friends.
In 2015, Mackay reportedly gave Kodwa R1 million, of which Kodwa used R890 000 to buy a Jeep vehicle. Kodwa was the ANC’s spokesperson and an NEC member at the time, and noted that he was struggling financially.
‘I confirm this was a loan from a friend and no strings attached. I obtained it at a time of financial difficulty and would not have been able to secure a bank loan,’ he said.
However, the State argued that Kodwa received direct payments and luxury accommodation valued in excess of R1.6 million paid by or arranged through Mackay as rewards for Kodwa’s involvement in government procurement processes to promote the interests of Mackay, TSS and EOH while he served as the ANC’s spokesperson.
‘In February 2015, the State Information Technology Agency (Sita), a State-owned company charged with the responsibility of IT services to the government, advertised a tender worth R360-million for the appointment of two separate service providers for the provision of platinum access service solution for the government for five years as SITA could not render the said service,’ said NPA regional spokesperson, Gauteng division, Johannesburg, Phindi Mjonondwane.
‘Nine companies, including EOH, were shortlisted for the tender and communication between the two accused suggests that EOH was disqualified and that Mackay then approached Kodwa for his intervention which allegedly resulted in the tender being cancelled.’
‘In trying to meet the demands emanating from the commission’s reports, the NPA established a joint task force in November 2022, comprising various law enforcement agencies like the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to ensure collaboration and a coordinated structure that is case driven.’
‘We continue to guide and monitor investigations in cases emanating from the commission’s reports to ensure that alleged perpetrators of State Capture face justice. This case builds on the dozens of enrolments of high-profile State Capture corruption matters and the convictions of hundreds of government officials for corruption over the past five years.’
Kodwa and Mackay will return to court on 23 July 2024.
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