Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa is scheduled to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, facing charges related to receiving R1.6 million in bribes.
Zizi Kodwa due in court on Wednesday: Here’s what you must know
The charges stem from a broader investigation into contracts worth more than R460 million awarded by the City of Johannesburg to EOH Holdings in 2016.
The company was hired to upgrade and maintain the metro’s software systems.
Kodwa’s arrest follows years of scrutiny and explosive revelations at the Zondo Commission, where evidence tied him to questionable transactions with Jehan Mackay, a former EOH director.
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A full breakdown of the allegations
Kodwa has been accused of accepting bribes from EOH Holdings between February 2014 and April 2015.
These transactions allegedly included cash payments totalling around R1.6 million, which he used for luxury accommodations, loans, and other personal expenses.
The allegations surfaced during the Zondo Commission’s inquiry into state capture, where Kodwa admitted to receiving financial help from Mackay but denied any wrongdoing.
During his testimony at the commission, Kodwa acknowledged receiving large sums of money from Mackay, stating they were financial assistance from a friend during times of need.
Despite his assertions, the financial paper trail left in his bank accounts suggested otherwise.
The commission, led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, had appointed Steven Powell, a specialist investigator at ENS Forensics, to probe Kodwa’s relationship with EOH.
Powell’s investigation uncovered a series of payments amounting to more than R2 million made to Kodwa between May 2015 and February 2016.
These payments were part of a larger sum of R15 million in ‘donations’ listed as ‘cost of sales’ in EOH’s bank statements. The dubious transactions included:
- R230,000 for a two-week stay at Villa Barbados in Camps Bay during the 2015 Christmas holidays.
- Complimentary stays at a luxury hotel costing Mackay R50,000 a night.
- R30,000 to clear an arrears account.
- R1 million, of which R890,000 was used by Kodwa to purchase a Jeep.
Kodwa insisted that these payments were genuine financial help from a friend and denied facilitating any unlawful acts in return.
However, the timing of these payments coincided with EOH being awarded contracts worth over R217 million between 2015 and 2016, raising further suspicion.
