National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula finds herself having to address allegations of malfeasance levelled against her.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend Mapisa-Nqakula is being investigated for allegedly having been paid millions in cash bribes by a South African National Defence Force contractor during her time as defence minister.
The high-level investigation is probing accusations that Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and was paid up to R2.3m in cash, delivered in gift bags by defence industry businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the wife of a general in the military health service.
The investigation has been going on for six months and is at an advanced stage, with statements allegedly implicating the speaker having been put on record.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu accused Mapisa-Nqakula of making demands for cash, initially through the late secretary of defence Sam Gulube and then directly, and said some discussions were conducted via text and WhatsApp.
She alleged that between November 2016 and July 2019 she personally handed over more than R2.3m in cash on 10 different occasions.
The two allegedly developed code words for the money, calling it “wigs”, “impepho” (incense), “imithi” (medicine) and “snuff”.
Mapisa-Nqakula is yet to confirm or deny the allegations and whether she is being investigated.
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Image: Alaister Russell
National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula finds herself having to address allegations of malfeasance levelled against her.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend Mapisa-Nqakula is being investigated for allegedly having been paid millions in cash bribes by a South African National Defence Force contractor during her time as defence minister.
The high-level investigation is probing accusations that Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and was paid up to R2.3m in cash, delivered in gift bags by defence industry businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the wife of a general in the military health service.
The investigation has been going on for six months and is at an advanced stage, with statements allegedly implicating the speaker having been put on record.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu accused Mapisa-Nqakula of making demands for cash, initially through the late secretary of defence Sam Gulube and then directly, and said some discussions were conducted via text and WhatsApp.
She alleged that between November 2016 and July 2019 she personally handed over more than R2.3m in cash on 10 different occasions.
The two allegedly developed code words for the money, calling it “wigs”, “impepho” (incense), “imithi” (medicine) and “snuff”.
Mapisa-Nqakula is yet to confirm or deny the allegations and whether she is being investigated.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
EDITORIAL | Bribery claims involving speaker must be acted upon swiftly
R2.3m bribe claim against Mapisa-Nqakula
Parliament demands answers from speaker over secretary’s pay
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