By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has been arrested and is expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday in connection with allegations that he received R1.6 million in bribes.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said: “We can confirm that two individuals have been arrested following the state capturecommission recommendations. The two are to appear at Palm Ridge specialised commercial crimes court on charges of corruption.”
Kodwa has been linked to former EOH executive Jehan Mackay, who is alleged to have channelled payments of R1.6-million to him.
Mackay had taken centre stage in corruption allegations involving payments to senior ANC figures, including Kodwa, who was the party’s national spokesman at the time.
Suspicious payments were made by Mackay, from his personal bank account, to Kodwa (who now serves as sports minister) and to Siyabulela Sintwa, a former personal assistant to ex-President Jacob Zuma at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, evidence introduced at the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture showed.
EOH subsidiary Tactical Software Solutions (TSS) – founded by Mackay and his father Danny and sold to EOH in 2011 for R130.5-million – allegedly paid off corrupt politicians by making payments to Mackay’s personal bank account at FNB, from which he then transferred money to various ANC bigwigs, supposedly for favours for winning government contracts.
Details of the payments were made in a submission to the commission of inquiry by law firm ENSafrica, which was commissioned by EOH to investigate malfeasance in its public sector IT contracts.
ENSafrica’s evidence showed suspicious payments from Mackay’s personal bank account took place between 26 May 2015 and 29 June 2017 and included various payments to a “Kodwa” (R295 000 in total) and a “Sintwa” (R291 600). Powell testified to the commission that “Kodwa” referred to Zizi Kodwa, and “Sintwa” to Zuma’s former personal assistant at Luthuli House, Siyabulela Sintwa.
EOH was awarded more than R400-million in government contracts. These included a deal to upgrade information technology network and security systems for the City of Johannesburg. The information technology company was also awarded a contract to provide software licences for the city.