Former National Assembly Speaker and ex-Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is set to make her first appearance in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, facing multiple charges related to a multi-million rand corruption case.
The case, which has now been transferred to the high court in preparation for trial, involves 12 counts of corruption and one charge of money laundering. These charges stem from Mapisa-Nqakula’s time as Minister of Defence, during which she is alleged to have solicited and received kickbacks totaling R4.5 million from a defence contractor.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Mapisa-Nqakula has consistently maintained her innocence, dismissing the State’s case as weak.
The State, which had initially been pursuing a second suspect in the case, ultimately decided against bringing charges against the unidentified individual. However, it has built a substantial case, relying on testimony from at least 26 witnesses to support its allegations against the former African National Congress (ANC) leader.
Wednesday’s court appearance is expected to be brief, as both the State and defence engage in pretrial processes to prepare for what is likely to be a closely watched trial.
