Gauteng ANC deputy coordinator Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has commended ANC veteran Baleka Mbete for supporting former speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, whom she called a sister and a mentor who should not be judged unfairly.
Nkomo-Ralehoko, MEC of Health in Gauteng, has also lended her support to Mapisa-Nqakula and prophesied that she will be acquitted of all the charges against her.
This she said after the ANC issued a directive to its members to stop publicly lending support to comrades facing criminal charges, especially when they appear in court. But Mbete appeared to have defied the directive as she was seen at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court during her appearance.
Mapisa-Nqakula was charged last year with corruption pertaining to allegations of accepting kickbacks during her time as defence minister.
Speaking on the Sunday World Engage podcast, Nkomo-Ralehoko said she has placed her faith in Mapisa-Nqakula.
Nkomo-Ralehoko, who was recruited into the ANC by Mapisa-Nqakula and worked with her, says her mentor will be cleared of the charges she is facing.
She said she will not dessert Mapisa-Nqakula because she recruited her to the ANC decades ago when they met in Moscow during a training course sponsored by Cosatu.
“I moved from the trade union to the ANC, recruited by Mama Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. She met me in Moscow, and then when I came back, she recruited me to the ANC,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko. “I do communicate with uSisi (Mapisa-Nqakula), and she communicates with me. I am still her child more than anything else.
“It is a pity that she had to experience this unfortunate situation because she is a principled person; she is a strong woman who has made some of us the people we are today.”
Nkomo-Ralehoko said she was pleased that those close to Mapisa-Nqakula had not abandoned her during her darkest hour. She specifically mentioned former speaker Baleka Mbete, who is Mapisa-Nqakula’s long-time friend and the only ANC politician to go to court to
support her.
“I have a huge respect for uSisi (Mapisa-Nqakula); whatever happens, I will never forget what she did for me because I developed under her and Sis’Baleka (Mbete). I am happy they are very close and have maintained that relationship until now.”
The MEC says she believes Mapisa-Nqakula will emerge unscathed from the case in which she faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.
Nkomo-Ralehoko’s utterances come after the Sunday Times recently reported how the state’s case against Mapisa-Nqakula was falling apart. According to the report, the NPA’s case was weakened by their pursuit of businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who is their star witness.
The NPA was apparently plotting to charge the businessperson to ensure her full cooperation in nailing Mapisa-Nqakula.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is alleged to be the person who paid multiple kickbacks to Mapisa-Nqakula. Her representations to the NPA to avoid being prosecuted were rejected, according to the Sunday Times report. This casts doubt on whether she will get an incentive for delivering the former speaker’s head.
In the report, the NPA insists that charging the businesswoman will not affect their case against Mapisa-Nqakula, despite the obvious link between the two cases.
Some fear that should the latest developments in the case lead to its collapse, it would further damage the image of the NPA, which has not covered itself in glory in high-profile cases.
The prosecuting authority has, for the six years under its director Shamila Batohi, come under criticism for bungling cases involving prominent people and for charging people without evidence to appear to be doing something to nail big fish.
Just recently, the NPA was slammed in the Bloemfontein High Court for the unlawful extradition of Moroadi Cholota, the former office secretary for Ace Magashule, from the US.
This came after the collapse of several other so-called “state capture cases” where the NPA has bitten the dust, case after case.
Among other cases, former sport minister Zizi Kodwa had charges against him withdrawn, while the case against former Eskom executive Matshela Koko was struck off the roll by the court.
