A former ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa has said he received R1 million loan from his friend and former executive at EOH, Jehan Mackay, as he was in financial difficulties.

Kodwa used more than R800 000 of that to buy himself a Jeep.

He could not explain to the Zondo Commission the logic behind buying a vehicle while in was in financial difficulty.

Kodwa said he had not paid back any part of that loan that was given to him more than five years ago.

He said the agreement with Mackay was that he could pay back the money once he was in a better financial position.

Kodwa has taken the hot seat at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. He is responding to allegations that he received millions of rand while ANC spokesperson.

The commission previously heard how Kodwa received more than R2m in payments and luxury accommodation linked to technology services company EOH.

The managing director of ENS Forensics, Steven Powell, told the commission that he conducted a forensic investigation into EOH. He found payments made to the ANC and individuals linked to the party.

Powell said it seemed that between 2015 and 2016, when the payments were made to Kodwa, three government contracts were issued.

Kodwa has told the commission that while he confirms he received payments from Mackay, they had nothing to do with government contracts.

“I appear before you to acknowledge the lesson you seem to give us every time you have an opportunity to encourage us to appear. And that is, we need to be circumspect about our relations and how they are perceived as leaders.

“One of great lessons, I’ve now learnt as I consulted with my own comrades and my own legal representatives in this matter, is the need to take responsibility honestly and head on.

“The need to acknowledge that while I committed no crime or facilitated no crime, the needs of leadership are that I must avoid situations that lend themselves to perceptions that as a leader I’m being bought or favoured,” Kodwa said in an opening statement.