South African prosecutors reinstate bribery charges against former minister Zizi Kodwa
Zizi Kodwa, a former government minister and senior member of the African National Congress (ANC), will face bribery charges once again, South African state prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
Kodwa was initially arrested in 2024 while serving as Minister for Sports and Arts, accused of accepting $85,000 in bribes related to contracts for upgrading and maintaining software systems in Johannesburg. Prosecutors had withdrawn the case months later, citing limited prospects for a successful prosecution. The charges were briefly revived in January 2026 before being set aside again.
Authorities now confirm that the prosecution will proceed. Data from 2019 indicates that corruption may have cost South Africa over $31 billion, roughly a tenth of the country’s GDP. Earlier this month, ANC parliamentarian Vincent Smith became the first high-profile official jailed on fraud and corruption charges.
Long-standing corruption claims have damaged the ANC’s reputation and contributed to its loss of a parliamentary majority in 2024, highlighting ongoing governance challenges in the country.
