Mapisa-Nqakula at police station 'to hand herself over'

Former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was at the Lyttelton police station in Centurion on Thursday morning where she is expected to hand herself over.

According to the SABC, Mapisa-Nqakula left her home just before 7am in Johannesburg in a convoy to hand herself over to authorities in connection with corruption allegations.

Mapisa-Nqakula bowed to pressure by resigning as speaker and an MP on Wednesday. 

In a statement issued in the name of her political adviser Mike Ramagoma, Mapisa-Nqakula said she had submitted her resignation letter to her deputy, Lechesa Tsenoli, resigning with immediate effect.

Mapisa-Nqakula maintained her innocence, saying she was determined to restore her “good reputation”.

She is accused of taking bribes from a contractor during her tenure as defence minister. She denies the accusations.

This week Mapisa-Nqakula's urgent application to interdict law enforcement authorities from arresting her was struck off the court roll. This is after she turned to the Pretoria high court to challenge how the search and seizure warrant by the Investigating Directorate was obtained and the recent operation itself at her Johannesburg home. 

She also sought an order compelling the state to disclose the evidence against her.

Last month the ID conducted a search and seizure operation at Mapisa-Nqakula's home in Bruma, Johannesburg. The operation is linked to the investigation into alleged corruption that reportedly took place during Mapisa-Nqakula's tenure as minister of defence and military veterans.

The Sunday Times reported last month that the ID was investigating the speaker in connection with allegations that she was paid millions in cash bribes by a defence force contractor. 

The investigation found she allegedly received R2.3m in cash delivered in gift bags by defence businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who is married to a general in the military health service. 

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