The corruption accused former sports minister Zizi Kodwa has resigned as a Member of Parliament (MP). The former African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson resigned from the role on Thursday amid allegations of corruption.
The ANC said secretary-general Fikile Mbalula received a letter from Kodwa formally communicating his resignation as an MP. The ANC said they received the letter on Wednesday, July 24.
“The letter is dated 24 July 2024, and the resignation is with immediate effect,” said the statement.
ANC national spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi said the ANC has accepted the resignation and they wished Kodwa well.
In June, Kodwa appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court, facing corruption charges involving R1.7 million where he was granted bail of R30,000. He later resigned from his ministerial position.
Kodwa’s presence in Parliament has been criticized, with some critics of the governing party saying the ANC had double standards in its execution of the step aside policy.
Some of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s political foes, like Ace Magashule, were removed from office using the step aside convention, which dictates that members charged could not represent the party while they were charged in the courts.
Kodwa's case was rescheduled for August 21 after he appeared in court earlier this week to answer charges of corruption.
IOL Politics