The former Speaker of Parliament in South Africa, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, was arrested on Thursday amid allegations of receiving approximately $135,000 in bribes, adding another layer to the series of corruption scandals involving the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.
Mapisa-Nqakula voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Pretoria and appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates Court, where she was granted bail set at 50,000 rand ($2,670).
Maintaining her innocence, Mapisa-Nqakula implied that the charges against her were politically motivated, especially with the backdrop of upcoming national elections later this year.
The allegations against her stem from purported cash payments she received from a defense contractor during her tenure as Minister of Defense from 2016 to 2019. Her residence in Johannesburg was raided, leading to accusations of corruption and money laundering.
Following her unsuccessful attempt to prevent her arrest through a court application, Mapisa-Nqakula resigned from her positions as Speaker of Parliament and as a member of parliament.
During her bail hearing, Mapisa-Nqakula emphasized that she had no intention of fleeing, highlighting the potential loss of her state pension and separation from her children based in Johannesburg.
Prosecutors did not contest Mapisa-Nqakula’s bail application, and her case has been adjourned until June 4, with plans to include another defendant in the proceedings.
