Former Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa and former EOH boss Jehan Mackay at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen
The corruption case involving former Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has been postponed again as his co-accused attempts to have his charges dismissed.
On Wednesday, Kodwa and former EOH Group senior executive Jehan MacKay briefly appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on corruption charges related to alleged bribes exceeding R1.6 million.
In the previous court appearance, the defence requested further particulars, while the state indicated its readiness to proceed to trial, having completed its investigation.
The case has faced multiple postponements due to several interlocutory applications.
It was heard on Wednesday that Mackay has made further representations to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) requesting that charges against him be dropped.
A postponement to 10 September was, therefore, granted by the court.
“It is to allow for the outcome of the escalated representations for the accused one.
“I am happy that the timelines that have been set are tight enough so that we can make progress in this matter and the court extends your bail, same conditions as before,” Magistrate Phillip Venter said.
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Advocate Zola Majavu, legal representative for Kodwa, reiterated that his team was prepared to proceed to trial.
“We were hoping that today we would set a trial date. We were ready on the last occasion regardless of the answers given and that is what I said on record in open court,” he told the media outside the court.
Majavu acknowledged Mackay’s right to pursue his chosen course of action while noting its impact on Kodwa.
“Yes, it is unfortunate because those processes and the outcome, thereof, have a knock-on effect on my client, which is a bit disappointing because he is a public figure. Every single day that goes by, people still look at him as a corrupt person,” the lawyer said.
Majavu added: “It has cost him his Cabinet position; it has cost him his MP [Member of Parliament] status, it has cost his membership of the ANC [African National Congress] and any other official positions.
“So, the prejudice is huge, the reputational damage continues on a daily basis, but he does not locate himself above the law.”
It is alleged that Mackay paid bribes to Kodwa amounting to R1.6 million between April 2015 to February 2018 in the form of cash, luxury accommodation and other gratifications.
The alleged payments to Kodwa were reportedly made during his tenure as the ANC’s national spokesperson in exchange for his intervention in government procurement processes.
These interventions purportedly favoured Mackay, EOH, and Tactical Software Systems (TSS), leading to the cancellation of a R360 million tender.
READ MORE: ‘Close friend’ admits to giving Zizi Kodwa money, but denies corruption
The two men are out on R30 000 bail and intend to plead not guilty during trial.
Last month, Kodwa tendered his resignation as an ANC MP following heavy cricitism over his deployment to the National Assembly.
He immediately resigned as the minister of Sports, Arts and Culture thereafter.
In addition, the former minister decided to step aside as a member of ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC).
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