The former minister for defense and military veterans in South Africa, Mapisa-Nqakula has surrendered herself to the police on Thursday morning as she awaits her court hearing today.
Mapisa-Nqakula has taken this move a day after she announced her resignation as the national assembly speaker and Member of Parliament. She is facing corruption allegations which she had denied saying she is determined to clear her name.
“Given the seriousness of the much publicized allegations against me, I cannot continue in this role. As a country’s chief lawmaker, I hold a central responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of parliament by ensuring that my actions ensure that its sacred work must continue without blemish…….I maintain my innocence and am determined to restore my good reputation.”
She is being accused of receiving more than R2.3 million bribes in three years 2017-2019 from Nombasa Ndhlovu the defense contractor. According to reports, the contracts were for logistics to support the SA national defense force troops deployment worth R200 million.
South Africa’s speaker Mapisa-Nqakula hands herself over to the police amid corruption allegations.