South African minister and MPs cleared of corruption

A South African minister and three other MPs from the governing African National Congress (ANC) party have been cleared of corruption by a parliamentary committee.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and MPs Cedric Frolick, Mosebenzi Zwane and Winnie Ngwenya were implicated following an inquiry into allegations of large-scale corruption, commonly known as "state capture", under former President Jacob Zuma.

Mr Nxesi was accused of receiving payments from prominent businessman Edwin Sodi. The other three MPs were implicated in separate graft allegations.

On Tuesday, the parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests cleared the four lawmakers of any wrongdoing.

The Zondo commission - named after its chairperson Chief Justice Raymond Zondo - revealed widespread graft involving state-owned entities, in an inquiry that ran between 2018 to 2022.

No-one has been convicted in a criminal trial so far.

Current President Cyril Ramaphosa said recommendations from the inquiry would be implemented at an appropriate time.

Zuma resigned in 2018, a year before his second term in office was due to end, due to allegations of corruption.