South Africa’s National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, faces a tense wait as a court judgement on her application to block her arrest on corruption charges has been reserved until April 2. This temporary reprieve allows her to remain free until the court’s decision.
Prosecutors allege that Mapisa-Nqakula, while serving as defence minister, received bribes totalling $135,000 and a wig over a three-year period. She strongly denies these accusations.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s lawyer, Reginald Willis, argued in court for alternative measures besides arrest, citing her constitutional rights. This case comes at a sensitive time for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, which faces national elections in May.
Prosecutors’ documents claim Mapisa-Nqakula received 11 payments between 2016 and 2019, with an additional attempted bribe of $105,000. The state advocate, Makhosi Gwala, challenged the application’s urgency and argued that Mapisa-Nqakula failed to demonstrate potential irreparable harm.
In response to the charges, Mapisa-Nqakula has stepped down from her parliamentary role until the legal process concludes.