Prosecutors have reinstated bribery and corruption charges against former sports minister Zizi Kodwa, marking another development in the country’s ongoing efforts to address widespread corruption during Jacob Zuma’s presidency.
The case against Kodwa, a senior figure in the African National Congress (ANC), stems from recommendations by the Zondo Commission, a judicial inquiry established to investigate claims that state-owned enterprises were pillaged and mismanaged during Zuma’s 2009-2018 term.
Kodwa was initially arrested in June 2024 while serving as sports and arts minister. He faces accusations of accepting R 1,6 million in bribes in 2016 related to contracts for upgrading and maintaining Johannesburg’s software systems.
The charges were withdrawn in November 2024 by the Gauteng provincial public prosecutor, who stated that prospects for a successful prosecution had diminished. However, in January 2026, former national director of public prosecutions Shamila Batohi reinstated the charges two days before her retirement.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that Batohi informed Kodwa’s lawyers she had decided to set aside the decision to withdraw charges and that prosecution would proceed.
The Zondo Commission, which presented its findings to President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2022, exposed extensive corruption during Zuma’s tenure. Ramaphosa estimated in 2019 that corruption may have cost South Africa around R500 billion, equivalent to approximately one-tenth of the GDP of Africa’s most industrialised economy.
Earlier this month, senior ANC parliamentarian Vincent Smith became the first leading official jailed on charges arising from the commission after receiving a sentence for fraud and corruption.
Allegations of corruption and mismanagement during the ANC’s 30 years in government have damaged the party’s reputation, contributing to its loss of majority in the 2024 elections and forcing it into a coalition government.
