Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Zizi Kodwa was released on R30,000 bail when he made his first court appearance before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Ekurhuleni, facing corruption charges involving R1.7 million.
Kodwa, former deputy minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security, was implicated in the State Capture Commission, chaired by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
He appeared in the Ekurhuleni court with his “friend” and co-accused businessman and former EOH boss Jehan Mackay. The former EOH boss was also released on R30,000 bail.
Kodwa was charged over allegations that he accepted bribes totalling about R1.7 million from EOH. The State did not oppose bail.
In 2020, the Zondo-led commission of inquiry into State Capture heard that Kodwa allegedly received money paid by Mackay, who was then an executive of South Africa’s largest technology group, EOH Holdings.
ENS Forensics managing director Steven Powell claimed Kodwa received the money in eight payments from Mackay.
When the Zondo report came out in April 2022, it strongly recommended that President Cyril Ramaphosa should consider Kodwa’s then position as deputy minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security.
“The commission accordingly recommends that the president considers the position of Mr Kodwa as deputy minister of state security. Having regard to the fact that Mr Kodwa appears to find himself in a position where he is beholden by Mr Jehan Mackay,” Zondo stated in his report.
“Mr Kodwa is beholden by Mr Jehan Mackay, to whom he owes more than R1.7m. On his own version. This is a debt which he cannot immediately repay.”
In March last year, Ramaphosa announced that he was appointing Kodwa as South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
IOL