Corruption trial of ANC MP Zizi Kodwa and former EOH boss Jehan Mackay postponed to August
Former sport, arts and culture minister, Zizi Kodwa and his co-accused have appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Ekurhuleni, facing corruption charges involving R1.7 million.
The two men were previously released on R30,000 bail.
On Tuesday, the accused duo briefly appeared before the Ekurhuleni court where their case was postponed to August 21.
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 court with his “friend” and co-accused businessman and former EOH boss Jehan Mackay.
Kodwa was charged over allegations that he accepted bribes totalling about R1.7 million from EOH.
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.
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