In the latest graft scandal to hit South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), the Speaker of the country’s National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been accused of taking bribes over a three-year period when she was defence minister.
Prosecutors on Monday alleged in court papers that she received 11 payments totaling $135,000 between December 2016 and July 2019. Prosecutors also claimed that she solicited an additional bribe of $105,000, which was not paid. The court papers further detailed an incident in February 2019, where Mapisa-Nqakula purportedly received over $15,000 in cash and a wig during a meeting at the country’s main international airport.
The bribes were paid by Nombasa Ndhlovu, owner of Umkhombe Marine, a Freight forwarding company in return for intervention in contracts with the South African National Defence Force, the Mail & Guardian reported.
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (67), has not yet been arrested or formally charged, even though prosecutors had indicated they would be charging her with corruption. The arrest is yet to be made as she filed an urgent court application to interdict her “pending” arrest by the police last Friday. A court is set to rule on that next Tuesday.
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But after her home was raided by SA’s elite police unit last week, she’s temporarily stepped down from her position as speaker, while maintaining no wrongdoing.
Previous bribery allegations against her were investigated by the country’s Parliament in 2021 but were subsequently dropped. The case resurfaced after a whistleblower came forward last year, according to prosecutors.
