Deputy Minister in the Presidency Pinky Kekana has defended accepting the donation she received from corruption-accused businessman Edwin Sodi, saying she was not in public office at the time.
Kekana, an ANC national executive committee member, received R170 000 from Sodi’s largesse in two tranches over two years. Sodi paid Kekana R140 000 in 2015 and R30 000 in 2017. “At the time, one had no knowledge nor was one aware of any allegations that the individual in question could engage in conduct which could be subject of a criminal investigation,” Kekana said.
Testifying at the State Capture Commission in 2020, Sodi defended Kekana, saying he gave her the money because he was helping somebody he considered to be his “sister”.
Kekana, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, former minister of health Zweli Mkhize and Deputy State Security Minister Zizi Kodwa were among a bevy of politicians and state officials named in Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s state capture report as having benefited from Sodi, whose construction company Black Heads landed government tenders worth billions.
Sodi was arrested by the Hawks and charged for allegedly looting R250-million meant for the eradication of asbestos roofs in Free State.
Mashatile and Mkhize denied personally benefiting from Sodi, while Kodwa said he planned to take the matter on review.
While Zondo did not make any findings against Kekana, he did recommend that President Cyril Ramaphosa “consider” Zodwa’s position as deputy minister due to his relationship with former EOH executive Jehan Mackay, saying Kodwa “appears to find himself beholden” to Mackay.
He said between February 2014 and April 2015, EOH-related entities and Mackay paid about R1.6-million to Kodwa and paid another R30 000 on his behalf. At the time, Kodwa was spokesperson of the ANC.
An ANC leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said Ramaphosa should act against Kekana and Kodwa if he is serious about the renewal of the ANC, even if they were both not in public office when they received the money from Sodi.
“These are difficult times for the ANC and for Ramaphosa, in particular, because most of these comrades are not clean. He is now forced to act against his trusted lieutenants and that might weaken his ambition for a second term.”
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