Africa-Press – South-Africa. Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa has rejected the State Capture Inquiry’s finding that he is “beholden” to former EOH executive Jehan Mackay, who loaned him over R1 million back in 2015.
In response to the findings of the report by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, released on Friday, Kodwa said he had reached a repayment settlement with Mackay, who is said to have extended up to R1.6 million to Kodwa between February 2014 and April 2015.
At the time, Kodwa was spokesperson for the ANC.
Kodwa said he had reached a “settlement agreement” with MacKay to repay the loan, which is now seven years old. The process has been set in motion to begin repaying the full loan amount with interest, as agreed in the terms, though he did not reveal the terms of the agreement.
“The notion that I am ‘beholden’ is unsubstantiated and false”, Kodwa said.
The inquiry recommended that the president consider the position of Kodwa, as Deputy Minister of State Security, given that he “appears to find himself in a position where he is beholden to Mackay”.
The report further said that according to Kodwa, Mackay had loaned him the funds to buy a Jeep, which he purchased on 6 June 2015.
In addition, Mackay and EOH-linked companies paid hundreds of thousands of rands for rental accommodation for Kodwa. In his testimony, Kodwa told the commission that he was unaware the accommodation in question was rented, and that he believed the properties were owned by Mackay.
Mackay, who has since left EOH, was executive director of EOH Mthombo, the subsidiary of the technology group that was embroiled in large-scale tender irregularities with government departments.
Zondo says it is clear that Mackay was attempting to buy influence by making the loans to Kodwa and providing him with luxury accommodation. He says he repeatedly attempted to engage Kodwa concerning pending EOH Group tenders.
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