In response to the complaints against him, Member of Parliament Zizi Kodwa has tendered his resignation as Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture.
Mr. Kodwa, who vehemently denies the accusations, declared his intention to resign while he fights the charges.
After submitting his resignation to the President, Mr. Kodwa conveyed his appreciation for the chance to play such a crucial role in the country’s history.
He expressed his profound gratitude to the President and the ruling party for their confidence and support throughout his term in office in a statement made public today.
In addition, Mr. Kodwa took a time to express his gratitude to the hardworking employees of the Ministry and Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture, recognizing their continuous efforts to improve the country’s athletic and cultural environment.
In addition, he conveyed his appreciation to the different industry participants he worked closely with as a Minister.
Mr. Kodwa is standing down as a minister, but he is not backing down from the accusations made against him. He is determined to refute them in court.
His departure is a major shift in the political landscape of South Africa, and it raises concerns about how it will affect the administration’s goals for the arts, culture, and sports.
The country waits for more developments in this growing tale as Mr. Zizi Kodwa steps down as Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, citing the need to concentrate on resolving the legal allegations against him.
His exit creates a leadership vacuum in a vital ministry, raising questions about what lies next for South Africa’s sports and cultural industries.
A BUSINESSMAN AND CABINET MEMBER APPEAR IN COURT REGARDING CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS
Charges of violating the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) and corruption were brought against businessman Jehan Mackay, the former senior executive of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH) and director of Tactical Software Systems (TSS), and Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Zizi Kodwa at the Johannesburg Specialized Commercial Crime Court.
They were freed on R30,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in court again on July 23. The case was postponed so that the state could give the accused access to the docket’s contents.
In response to Kodwa’s interventions in government procurement processes to advance the interests of Mackay, TSS, and EOH, the state claimed that during the period of April 2015 to February 2016, while Kodwa was employed as the National Spokesperson of the African National Congress (ANC), he received direct payments and luxurious accommodations worth over R1.6 million from Mackay or through his facilitation.
The State Information Technology Agency (SITA), a state-owned business tasked with providing IT services to the government, announced in February 2015 that it was unable to provide the platinum access service solution for the government for a period of five years. Accordingly, SITA called for bids totaling R360 million to be appointed as two distinct service providers.
Nine businesses, including EOH, were shortlisted for the contract; correspondence between the two accused parties implies that EOH was rejected and that Mackay then sought Kodwa’s help, allegedly leading to the cancellation of the contract.
The case is based on suggestions that Chief Justice Raymond Zondo made in the fourth section of his reports about claims of state capture.
The report’s fourth part addressed fraud and corruption in the public sector, particularly governmental agencies.
Zondo oversaw the Judicial Commission’s investigation into state capture, and after it was done, it recommended that law enforcement look into attempts by Mackay to get Kodwa to tamper with procurement procedures and that, as a result of Kodwa’s tainted relationship with Mackay, President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa take Kodwa’s position as Deputy Minister of State Security into consideration.
The case is a component of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) reaction to the conclusions and suggestions of the State Capture Inquiry, according to NPA spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane.
In an effort to satisfy the requests arising from the reports of the commission.
According to Mjonondwane, in order to guarantee cooperation and a case-driven, coordinated structure, the NPA formed a joint task force in November 2022 that included representatives from several law enforcement agencies, including the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
“In order to make sure that those accused of state capture are brought to justice, we will keep directing and overseeing investigations in instances arising from the commission’s reports.
“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,” she stated.
