Zizi Kodwa, South Africa’s outgoing Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, has been arrested and charged with bribery amidst his party, the African National Congress (ANC), grappling to form a government.
Alongside co-accused Jehan Mackay, Kodwa appeared in court south of Johannesburg on Wednesday. The elite police unit Hawks confirmed that Kodwa was granted bail, and his lawyer stated that he would not evade trial, with plans to disclose his defense later.
News24 reported that the bribery allegations involve 1.6 million rand ($85,000) linked to contracts for upgrading and maintaining Johannesburg’s metro software systems.
Allegations against Kodwa, who was implicated in a 2021 judicial inquiry into government corruption, suggest he used some of the bribe money to purchase a luxury SUV. These accusations date back to his tenure as the ANC’s national spokesperson and later as the deputy minister of state security.
As these legal proceedings unfold, the ANC is also engaged in coalition talks following an election where they lost their 30-year parliamentary majority, securing only 40 percent of the vote. The party is currently negotiating potential alliances to establish a governing coalition.
Government corruption was a significant issue that contributed to the ANC’s declining support in the recent election.
