Just in: Zizi Kodwa resigns as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
Zizi Kodwa has resigned as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture as he faces charges of corruption. He appeared in court earlier on Wednesday.
Zizi Kodwa has resigned as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
This comes as Mr Kodwa was arrested and appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercialised Crime Court on Wednesday.
ZIZI KODWA RESIGNS AS MINISTER OF SPORT
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Litha Mpondwana said Kodwa has informed the President that he will resign as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture and Member of Cabinet, after being formally charged.
Mpondwana said Kodwa also expressed his sincere appreciation to the President and the governing party for the opportunity to serve the nation.
MINISTER AND BUSINESSMAN APPEAR IN COURT
As previously reported, Kodwa and businessman and former Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH) boss Jehan Mackay were granted R30 000 bail each.
Kodwa allegedly received almost R2 million in kickbacks from EOH as the IT and software company scored tenders from various government departments.
Roughly R1 million, was gifted to Zizi Kodwa – even though the payment was noted as an ANC donation. The former party spokesperson said he spent R890 000 on a new jeep.
The Directorate for Priority Crime and Investigation (DPCI) also known as the Hawks confirmed that Kodwa and Mackay handed themselves over on Wednesday morning at the Bramley Police Station.
The two handed themselves over to the members of the Hawks’ multi-disciplinary State Capture Task Team resorting in Serious Corruption Investigation environment, after granted warrants of arrest were issued on Tuesday, 4 June.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said Kodwa and Mackay face charges relating to the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) and corruption.
The two will return to court on 23 July as the case was postponed for disclosure of the contents of the docket to the accused.
STATE ACTS ON ZONDO COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Gauteng Phindi Mjonondwane said the state alleges that between April 2015 and February 2016, Kodwa received direct payments for luxury accommodations worth over R1.6 million. This was paid by and/or facilitated by Mackay as gratification for his interventions in government procurement processes to advance the interests of Mackay, TSS, and EOH.
Mjonondwane said that in February 2015, the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), a state-owned company charged with providing IT services to the government, advertised a tender worth R360 million for the appointment of two separate service providers to provide a platinum access service solution for the government for five years as SITA could not render the service.
“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. Allegedly, as a result, the tender was cancelled,” Mjonondwane explained.