Corruption Charges Reinstated Against Former South African Minister

South Africa’s prosecutors have reinstated bribery and corruption charges against former minister Zizi Kodwa, a senior figure in the African National Congress

Kodwa was arrested in June 2024 while serving as sports and arts minister following recommendations from a corruption probe into the era of Jacob Zuma. He is accused of receiving about 1.6 million rand in bribes in 2016 linked to contracts for upgrading and maintaining software systems in Johannesburg

The charges were initially withdrawn in November 2024 due to concerns about the likelihood of a successful prosecution. However, they were reinstated in January 2026 after Shamila Batohi overturned the earlier decision and confirmed that the prosecution would proceed

The case stems from findings by the Zondo Commission, which investigated widespread corruption and mismanagement in state institutions. Its report was submitted to Cyril Ramaphosa in 2022

Corruption linked to that period is estimated to have cost South Africa hundreds of billions of rand and has significantly damaged the reputation of the ANC. The scandal contributed to the party losing its parliamentary majority in the 2024 elections, forcing it into a coalition government

Source: Newstimehub