The corruption case involving Zizi Kodwa, the former minister of sport, arts, and culture, has been pushed back to September 10.
It was rescheduled in response to a state request to give co-accused Jehan Mackay — a former executive director of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings — a chance to take his case all the way to the director of public prosecutions.
Mackay had previously sought to have the charges against him dropped.
Corrupt activities
However, the regional head of the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit rejected his formal request to review the decision, so this attempt was unsuccessful.
As a result, the case continues to unfold amid ongoing legal battles.
Both Kodwa and Mackay are accused of engaging in corrupt activities involving bribes worth more than R1.6-million.
The allegations are based on claims that the bribery, received between April 28, 2015, and February 2, 2016, was used for various luxury expenses, including the purchase of an sport utility vehicle and payment for high-end accommodations.
The two accused appeared at the Johannesburg Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
Initially, the court had postponed the proceedings for a pre-trial conference and to allow the state time to deliberate on Mackay’s request.
Out on R30 000 bail
During the hearing, Kodwa’s legal representative, Zola Majavu, informed the court that his client was prepared to proceed with the case.
Kodwa has since resigned from his ministerial post in the midst of the controversy in reaction to the accusations.
He was eventually elected as an ANC MP in spite of the pending legal matters. He did, however, subsequently step down from this public position as well.
Since the two were taken into custody in June, the National Prosecuting Authority has been actively pursuing the case.
Kodwa and Mackay were both set free on an R30 000 bond each.
