Mapisa‑Nqakula loses bid to have R4.5m corruption case dismissed

The Pretoria High Court has ruled that former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa‑Nqakula has a case to answer after finding the State produced a prima facie case of corruption and money laundering. The ruling dismissed Mapisa‑Nqakula’s application to have the charges against her dropped.

How the application unfolded

Mapisa‑Nqakula’s legal team sought an acquittal after the State closed its case, asking the court to discharge her without her mounting a defence or giving evidence. They argued the State had not presented sufficient evidence to justify continuing the trial.

Judge Mashudu Munzhelele rejected that argument and allowed the case against Mapisa‑Nqakula to continue.

The charges

Mapisa‑Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. She is accused of soliciting and receiving R4.5 million, which the court record says includes R2.1 million allegedly paid in cash by Nombasa Ntsondwa‑Ndhlovu, a service provider to the South African National Defence Force, between December 2016 and July 2019.

Prosecutors say the total amount involved is R4.5 million, which includes about R2.1 million that Ntsondwa‑Ndhlovu allegedly handed over in cash.

Mapisa‑Nqakula has denied the allegations.

Recent steps she took

In April 2024, Mapisa‑Nqakula resigned as National Assembly speaker and as a Member of Parliament and surrendered to police at Lyttelton police station. Her surrender followed the Pretoria High Court’s dismissal of her application to block her arrest over the corruption allegations in March 2024.

What happens next

With the judge’s finding that a prima facie case exists, the trial will proceed under the existing charges. Further hearings and any future defence evidence will take place within the court process.

Editor’s note

• Reworded references to the R4.5 million so the article reflects that the prosecution alleges Mapisa‑Nqakula solicited and received R4.5 million, rather than stating it solely as “bribes”.
• Added a clear sentence: “Prosecutors say the total amount involved is R4.5 million, which includes about R2.1 million that Ntsondwa‑Ndhlovu allegedly handed over in cash.”
• Removed the reference to the day of the week when the ruling was delivered and replaced it with neutral timing language.
• Ensured consistency throughout the article on wording for the amount involved and the description of the court ruling.

Details in this article are drawn from the court ruling and the public record presented during proceedings.