The National Assembly speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, announced on Thursday that she has taken special leave amid reports of imminent arrest.
Predawn raid
This comes after the police raided Mapisa-Nqakula’s home in Bruma, east of Johannesburg.
The predawn raid on Tuesday came in response to claims that Mapisa-Nqakula accepted bribes totaling R2.3-million from a Defence Ministry service provider.
In a statement released on Thursday, she said: “In light of recent media speculations and allegations of my imminent arrest… As the speaker of the 6th Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, I hold the utmost respect for our legislative system and the laws of our nation, some of which I have been privileged to pass.
Willing to cooperate with law enforcement
“I assure the nation of my willingness to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies on any matter that may arise,” she said.
She said that though the Investigative Directorate of the National Prosecution Authority conducted a search and seizure at her residence, there has been no formal notification of an arrest warrant or communication regarding an imminent arrest for me, neither to me nor my legal team.
“My lawyers have, however, proactively informed the National Prosecution Authority of my readiness to comply and cooperate should the need arise.
Given the seriousness of the allegations and the attendant extensive media speculation, I have decided to take special leave from my position as Speaker of the National Assembly, effective immediately. This decision has been communicated to the Secretary of Parliament and to the President of the Republic [Cyril Ramaphosa] in his capacity as head of state,” she said.
Protecting parliament’s integrity
She said she made the decision to protect the integrity of Parliament and ensure its sacred duty and its name continue unblemished.
Mapisa, who was scheduled to attend the 148th Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from March 23 to 27, said she’d be pulling out of the event.
“Consequently therefore, I will also not be attending the long planned 148th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.
She said she has also communicated her decision to take special leave to her political party, the ruling African National Congress.
State witness
The raid comes after the NPA reportedly gave a business executive, Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, a Section 204 to be a key state witness in its case against Mapisa-Nqakula.
Ntsondwa-Ndlhovu deposed an affidavit in which she claims she paid bribes in the form of hard cash and gifts worth more than R5-million to Mapisa-Nqakula during her tenure as the minister of defence.
It is believed that law-enforcement agencies investigating the speaker were allegedly able to trace about R2.3-million of Ntsondwa-Ndlhovu’s alleged bribe to Mapisa-Nqakula on 10 occasions between November 2016 and July 2019.
The alleged bribes to the speaker were facilitated by the late secretary of defence, Sam Gulube, who summoned Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to his home twice, according to her affidavit submitted to the law-enforcement agencies.
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