South Africa's arts minister Zizi Kodwa resigns after arrest and corruption allegations of taking R1.6 million in bribes.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa abruptly resigned on Wednesday after he was arrested and appeared in court in relation to corruption charges and receiving in excess of R1.6 million in bribes.

Zizi Kodwa appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Wednesday morning and was later released on bail of R30 000.

In a statement from South Africa's department of sports, arts and culture - issued after his arrest and court appearance, Zizi Kodwa said that he "has informed the president that he will resign as minister of sports, arts and culture and member of cabinet, after being formally charged".

Zizi Kodwa appeared in court today with co-accused Jehan Mackay, a former EOH executive who allegedly paid Zizi Kodwa bribes. 

Jehan Mackay was mentioned in the Zondo Commission inquiry into state capture in South Africa, where allegations were made in 2021 that he paid bribes to several people, including ANC political party members, including Zizi Kodwa while he was the deputy minister of state security.

Steven Powell, the managing director of ENSafrica's forensic division, testified before the Zondo Commission that Zizi Kodwa got payments over R2 million, as well as luxury accommodation from EOH in exchange for getting lucrative contracts after bidding for various government tenders.

In addition, Zizi Kodwa got payments over R1.6 million from Jehan Mackay as bribes.

The case has been adjourned to 23 July. 

ANC political party demands more coverage from the South African public broadcaster; says ministers and SABC board members shouldn't be allowed to call and give journalists coverage 'instructions'.

The ANC political party in South Africa says it demands more coverage than what it's getting from the South African public broadcaster, and says the struggling SABC has to be protected from editorial interference like ministers and SABC board members who shouldn't be allowed to call journalists directly and give them orders and "instructions".

The ANC on Monday afternoon made its submission at the SABC's inquiry into SABC News editorial interference that was closed to the media, and afterwards held a press briefing.

The ANC and its ministers are interestingly not taking any responsibility for the near-collapse of the SABC, with the ANC as the governing party and its corrupt ministers and deployment appointments that are directly to blame and responsible for the horrific destruction, dilapidated state, financial woes and many of the multiple crisis that the SABC has found itself in and is battling currently.

Zizi Kodwa, the ANC's head of the presidency, said at the press briefing that the ANC demands more coverage on the SABC ahead of the 2019 general elections in South Africa.

"The ANC enjoys 62% - how that gets carried out in terms of editorial news is something one way or another it must show," said Zizi Kodwa.

Zizi Kodwa said the ANC wants proportional coverage according to voting percentages to give the ANC the most airtime on the SABC.

Zizi Kodwa said the ANC is concerned about ministers and SABC board members who directly interfered in SABC editorial coverage.

"We think we must protect the corporation from such influence, board members who can just at the drop of a pen, can call a journalist." According to Zizi Kodwa not even ministers have the right to directly call journalists and give "instructions".

Pule Mabe, ANC spokesperson, said the ANC political party supports press freedom and an independent SABC, saying "We came here to make that kind of a presentation and to assert the view we will do everything in our power to protect that press freedom".

BREAKING. ANC to intervene over SABC and Mfundi Vundla's shocking firing of the Generations cast; ministers to intervene over dismissal.

The ANC political party is going to intervene and get involved following the shocking wholesale firing of the Generations cast on SABC1 on Monday by the SABC and executive producer Mfundi Vundla from MMSV Productions.

The Generations cast was fired on Monday by the SABC and MMSV Productions following a second strike the united actors embarked on since last Monday.

The dismissal of the principal Generations cast has sent shockwaves through South Africa's television industry.

Generations ranks as the most watched TV show in South Africa with an average of 7.5 million viewers every weeknight, is the most watched soap, the most lucrative TV show of the SABC and commands a price of R200 000 per 30 second ad spot during its 20:00 primetime timeslot.

It was the Generations cast's second strike in 10 months at the SABC1 soap over exactly the same issues of wanting three year contracts from the SABC as it was promised in 2013, better paying contracts, as well as back payment for rebroadcasts and international sales of the show - all issues that the SABC promised to give attention but failed to do.

"The ANC has requested the intervention of the ministers of communications and labour in the dispute," says ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in a statement.

"Minister of communications Faith Muthambi will be meeting with the SABC to understand the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of these workers," says the ANC in the statement.

""We thus call for a speedy and amicable resolution of the current impasse between the two parties in the interest of fair labour practice based on mutual respect for each other's crafts and imperatives".