Watch: Minister Zizi Kodwa granted bail after arrest related to state capture

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Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa resigned shortly after his appearance in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court today.

Read more here: Zizi Kodwa resigns as minister amid allegations

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The Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court has granted Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa (54) and his co-accused, former EOH Holdings executive Jehan Mackay (47), bail of R30 000 each.

According to a statement by Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, the duo handed themselves over at the Bramley Police Station this morning, after warrants for their arrest were issued yesterday.

According to Mbambo, they faced charges related to the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004.

Accusations

Mbambo explains their arrests follow recommendations in the fourth report by the Zondo Commission on State Capture, published in June 2022.

“Among those recommendations was a case involving an entity which specialises in the provision of technology services to businesses, IT services, systems integration, software, industrial technology and business process outsourcing [that] received tenders from various government departments,” she explains.

Mbambo says investigations revealed an ‘executive on behalf of his entity enticed his co-accused to gratification’ amounting to R1.7m for personal benefit. This happened between April 28, 2015, and February 2, 2018, according to the statement.

It adds the money was used to buy a luxury sports utility vehicle and to pay for luxury accommodation.

Zondo Commission

The Zondo Commission earlier found that Kodwa was allegedly implicated in a probe regarding contracts worth over R460m that the City of Johannesburg awarded to EOH Holdings in 2016.

According to the commission’s findings, the company was hired to upgrade and maintain the city’s software systems.

The commission further found that EOH-related entities and its former director, Mackay, allegedly made payments of R1.6m to Kodwa.

The pair will appear in court again on July 23.

Watch the court appearance: