South Africa’s Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has tendered her resignation following a corruption investigation involving a raid on her home.
South Africa’s Speaker of Parliament Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula faces allegations of soliciting bribes during her tenure as defense minister, reportedly in exchange for contract awards. She has refuted these allegations, stating in a released statement, “My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me.” Given the gravity of the investigation, she deemed it untenable to continue in her role.
The resignation takes immediate effect and also entails her relinquishing her parliamentary membership. The 67-year-old, who served as defense minister from 2012 to 2021 before assuming the role of speaker in 2021, faced accusations of receiving substantial sums in cash bribes from a former military contractor, as reported by South Africa’s state-owned broadcaster SABC.
Mapisa-Nqakula took special leave following the raid and sought a court order to prevent potential arrest, citing concerns over her dignity. However, her request was rejected by judges on Tuesday, deeming the matter non-urgent and refraining from speculating on any impending arrest.
Allegations suggest that Mapisa-Nqakula demanded approximately $120,000 from a company owner to secure a tender for transporting army equipment within Africa, according to Business Day newspaper reports. Notably, she has not yet faced formal charges, and police authorities have made no official statements regarding any potential arrest.
