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The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, appeared in court on Wednesday on charges of corruption involving an amount of R1.6 million.
Kodwa stood in the dock in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court along with businessman Jehan Mackay where they faced charges of contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, and corruption.
Mackay is the director of Tactical Software Systems (TSS) and former Senior Executive of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH).
“They were released on R30 000 bail and will return to court on 23 July as the case was postponed for disclosure of the contents of the docket to the accused, by the state,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
She said the state alleges that Kodwa had received “direct payments and luxury accommodation worth over R1.6 million paid for or facilitated by Mackay when he was still the ANC’s national spokesperson.
This was allegedly for his “interventions in government procurement processes to advance the interests of Mackay, TSS and EOH.”
MEDIA STATEMENT
— Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (@SportArtsCultur) June 5, 2024
Zizi Kodwa resigns as Sport, Arts and Culture minister
Mr Zizi Kodwa, MP, announces his immediate resignation as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture. This comes as Mr Kodwa challenges the charges against him, which he strongly denies. pic.twitter.com/582A1hovrs
Mjonondwane said this was after a government tender worth R360 million was cancelled after EOH was disqualified and Mackay allegedly approached Kodwa for his intervention.
"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," she said.
Mackay’s lawyer read out a statement during the bail hearing in which he denied any wrongdoing and would plead not guilty to the charges.
The NPA said the arrest of Kodwa and Mackay was a sequel to the ongoing investigations into matters arising out of the Zondo Commission of Enquiry into State Capture.
“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,” Mjonondwane added.
