Deputy state security minister Zizi Kodwa has revealed that he appeared before the party's integrity commission on Saturday over payments he received from EOH executive Jehan Mackay to the tune of R300,000.

Speaking to SowetanLIVE sister publication TimesLIVE on Wednesday night, Kodwa said he told the ANC's integrity commission that the “suspicious payments” he had received from Mackay during his time as ANC national spokesperson were a matter of financial assistance between friends.

The payments to Kodwa were revealed as part of startling “money flows” evidence before the state capture commission of inquiry late last month.

Kodwa said he decided to approach the ANC's integrity commission, chaired by party veteran George Mashamba, after his failed attempts to appear before the Zondo commission to outline his version of events.

“I explained in detail the payments which were done in 2015 and the context; that the payments were done as assistance by friends and they were not related to kickbacks or bribes because when I met the people they were already awarded the tenders that are under investigation. So I would not have influenced in any way the tenders,” Kodwa told TimesLIVE.

The deputy minister of state security said he sought an audience with the integrity commission of his own accord, not because he was guilty of anything, but because his name had been mentioned at the Zondo commission and would prompt calls from some quarters for him to step aside.

“I felt it appropriate in the context of that resolution that I should go and I appeared, because I have no other recourse,” Kodwa said. “I can’t go to the [Zondo] commission because the commission is not investigating me. I’m not implicated in any tender fraud or anything, so I felt I must appear before the IC [integrity commission]. I’m happy that they agreed to my request this past weekend. I met them and I gave the similar explanation.”

The meeting between Kodwa and the integrity commission took place via Zoom on Saturday.

Mashamba on Wednesday confirmed the meeting, saying Kodwa had answered all their questions.

“He explained to us that he came to us not because he had been called to the Zondo commission. He said he actually tried to take a step to go to them and they said no, if you want to explain you can write and explain, but we don’t think we need you here,” Mashamba said.

He added that they “understood” Kodwa's explanations for the controversial payments.

Asked if this meant the party's integrity commission had effectively cleared Kodwa of any wrongdoing, Mashaba said:“ Let me not answer that one. I can’t say. I might say so and when we deliberate we find that comrades tell me something else.”

Kodwa said the integrity commission lauded him for proactively approaching them.

“The meeting was cordial, the IC really appreciated that I could, without being implicated, without being accused, that I could voluntarily come before them. And they actually indicated if we could have more of the ANC senior leaders who could do the same whenever they are mentioned, whenever their names are accused.

“It does not say you are guilty of anything but the IC is about the integrity and the credibility of the movement,” Kodwa said.

TimesLIVE