JOHANNESBURG, June 5 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa on Wednesday resigned from the post with immediate effect after he was charged with receiving about 1.7 million rand (about 89,700 U.S. dollars) in bribes.
Kodwa, who was 54 and a member of the ruling African National Congress, was charged with receiving direct payments and luxury accommodation paid by and/or facilitated by a businessman as gratifications for his interventions in government procurement processes when working as the spokesperson of the party, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement.
"The case stems from the recommendations penned by retired Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in part four of his reports into allegations of state capture," the NPA said.
On Wednesday, Kodwa appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg alongside another suspect in the case, saying that he intended to plead not guilty to the charges.
The case was postponed to July 23 for the state to disclose the contents of the docket to the accused. ■
