National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who is the subject of an investigation by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) into allegations of corruption, has taken special leave from her position and the ANC.
Her special leave from the National Assembly is effective immediately.
In a statement on Thursday night Mapisa-Nqakula also said she would not be attending the 148th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva Switzerland.
Contrary to speculation that she had been arrested, Mapisa-Nqakula said that while the NPA had conducted a search and seizure at her home, she had received no formal notification of an arrest warrant or communication regarding an imminent arrest for her, neither to her or her legal team.
“My lawyers have, however, proactively informed the National Prosecution Authority of my readiness to comply and co-operate should the need arise,” she added.
Mapisa-Nqakula gave the assurance that she would co-operate fully with law enforcement authorities.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations and the attendant extensive media speculation, I have decided to take special leave from my position as Speaker of the National Assembly, effective immediately. This decision has been communicated to the secretary of parliament and to the President of the Republic in his capacity as head of state.
“This decision by myself is meant to protect the integrity of parliament and ensure its sacred duty and its name continue unblemished.
“I have also communicated my decision to take special leave from my movement, the ANC.”
The NPA’s Investigating Directorate raided Mapisa-Nqakula’s home in Johannesburg on Tuesday after an investigation into allegations that she solicited and received at least R2.3m in cash from a former military contractor while she was defence minister.
According to sources, the speaker was at home at the time of the raid in Adolph Goertz Street, Bruma. Her husband, Charles Nqakula — a former security adviser to President Cyril Ramaphosa — was home at the time of the raid. The raid ended soon after 11am, after investigators seized various items.
Mapisa-Nqakula returned to SA from an official visit to Paris and New York last week.
The investigation was launched after accusations by Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the owner of Umkhombe Marine, from whom she said Mapisa-Nqakula sought bribes in return for defence contracts.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s aviation company was contracted to transport SA National Defence Force equipment back to SA from African countries. The contract was valued at about R24m.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is married to Maj-Gen Noel Ndhlovu, a former deputy surgeon-general in the SA Military Health Services. Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu was arrested in October 2020 for suspected fraud exceeding R100m due to purported irregularities in her contracts.
Mapisa-Nqakula was allegedly involved in awarding the contracts and purportedly solicited cash payments, delivered in either rand or dollars, from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.
In her witness statement, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu accuses Mapisa-Nqakula of making several demands for cash, initially through the late secretary of defence, Sam Gulube, and then directly.
She claimed she had to deliver the cash in gift bags on at least 10 different occasions.
The state recently withdrew the case against Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu who has turned state witness in the investigation against the speaker, which was already under way.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s husband, who was tipped to become SA’s future surgeon-general, was placed on special leave shortly after his wife was arrested.
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