South Africa reinstates corruption case against ex-minister

South Africa's state prosecutors have reinstated bribery and corruption charges against a former government minister and a senior figure in the African National Congress (ANC), the authority said Tuesday.

Zizi Kodwa was arrested in June 2024 while serving as sports and arts minister and on recommendations from a probe into state corruption under the 2009-2018 president, Jacob Zuma.

He was accused of taking 1.6 million rand ($85,000) in bribes in 2016 in connection to contracts for the upgrade and maintenance of Johannesburg's software systems.

The previous Gauteng provincial public prosecutor withdrew the charges in November 2024, saying the prospects of a successful prosecution had diminished.

They were reinstated in January 2026 by the former national director of public prosecution two days before she retired, the National Prosecuting Authority announced in a statement.

Shamila Batohi informed Kodwa's lawyers that "she has decided to set aside the decision... to withdraw charges and that the prosecution will proceed," it said.

Kodwa was arrested on recommendations of a judicial commission of inquiry into claims that South Africa's state-owned enterprises were pillaged and mismanaged during Zuma's term.

The Zondo Commission presented its findings to President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2022.

Ramaphosa estimated in 2019 that corruption could have cost the country around 500 billion rand ($31.4 billion), then equivalent to about a tenth of the GDP of Africa's most industrialised economy.

Earlier this month, senior ANC parliamentarian Vincent Smith became the first leading official to be jailed on charges arising from the commission after being sentenced for fraud and corruption.

Claims of corruption and mismanagement in the ANC's 30 years in government have tarnished its reputation, contributing to it losing its majority in the 2024 elections when it was forced into a coalition government.