ZIZI KODWA, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of State Security has admitted that payments were made to his personal account by a senior executive whose company benefitted from government tenders.
Testifying before the judicial commission into state capture, theft and corruption, Kodwa said the R1-million he received from Jehan Mackay in 2013 was a loan, R890 000 of which was used to purchase a Jeep vehicle.
Kodwa said the loan from Mackay had no strings attached. He explained that he turned to Mackay because he would not be able to secure a bank loan.
“I can confirm that there was nothing untoward in his allowing me to visit him home or to spend a night at any of his properties. He specifically demanded no payment for the times I spent at any of his homes,” Kodwa said.
He said Mackay had made his home and other properties available to him when he was in Cape Town.
Kodwa told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the chair of the commission, he often turned to friends as and when he faced financial difficulties and said he extended the same to friends and relatives.
“I confirm that there was nothing untoward in his allowing me to visit his home or to spend a night any any of his properties, He specifically demanded no payment for the time I spent at any of his homes”. Says Kodwa
The Deputy Minister could however not explain the logic of borrowing money during financial difficulty and then spending the bulk of it on purchasing a luxury vehicle.
He insisted that his dealings were with Mackay and not with EOH, the technology services company that Mackay worked for, which had an interest in a multimission Department of Home Affairs tender.
It was pointed out to Kodwa by evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson that the money given to him by Mackay were, in the books of EOH, recorded in the transactions dealing with the government tender that EOH was bidding.
Kodwa’s testimony follows revelations by Steven Powell, the managing director of ENS Forensics, that R2m in payments and luxury accommodation, paid to him, were linked to EOH.
Powell also told the commission his forensic investigation into EOH has also unearthed payments made to the ANC and individuals linked to the party.