JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African minister who is a leading member of the African National Congress was arrested and appeared in court Wednesday on bribery charges, just as his party met for talks to chart a way forward for the country to work. after an election deadlock.
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa is accused of taking bribes worth about $90,000, according to police. He appeared in a Johannesburg courtroom along with another suspect in the case. Kodwa said he planned to plead not guilty to the charges.
He resigned as minister after the court appearance but denied the allegations, according to a ministry statement.
Kodwa, 54, is a member of the ANC’s internal National Working Committee, which met on Tuesday as the party discussed how it could form a government after losing its 30-year majority in elections last week. The ANC has not given any indication as to which other party or parties it might strike a deal with to govern together, but says it has met officials from at least five other parties and talks are underway.
Kodwa was implicated in taking bribes from a businessman during a 2021 judicial inquiry looking into allegations of widespread government corruption involving ANC officials and others. The allegations relate to Kodwa’s time as the ANC’s national spokesperson and later as deputy minister of state security.
Police allege Kodwa used some of the bribes to purchase a ‘luxury’ SUV vehicle.
Government corruption was seen as one of the issues that led a majority of South Africans to turn away from the ANC at the elections. It received 40% of the vote, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time and must now form a coalition or agreement with others.
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