Embattled South African Speaker of Parliament, Mapisa-Nqakula, resigns

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa’s parliament speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, resigned on Wednesday and relinquished her seat in the legislature over allegations of corruption.

This comes a day after she lost a bid in court that would block her arrest.

Africanews reported that prosecutors last week said they intended to charge Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula with corruption, accusing her of receiving about US$135 000 in bribes from a defense contractor during her three years as defense minister.

She allegedly received the payments between December 2016 and July 2019, while another bribe, amounting to US$105,000, was not paid.

Mapisa-Nqakula announced in a statement that she had resigned but insisted she was innocent of the accusations against her.

“I have made this conscious decision in order to dedicate my time and focus to deal with the recently announced investigation against me by our country’s law enforcement agencies.

“My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me,” she said.

Media reports in South Africa alleged that on one occasion in February 2019, she received more than US$15,000 and a wig at a meeting at the country’s main international airport.

Mapisa-Nqakula’s party, the African National Congress, is set to fight a crucial election this year against the backdrop of high unemployment, rising poverty and anger over various allegations of corruption against its leaders.

Recent polls suggest the party could receive less than 50 percent of electoral support — the lowest level since it came into power in the country’s first all-race vote at the end of apartheid in 1994.

After Mapisa-Nqakula’s announcement, it remained unclear if she would be taken into custody or surrender to authorities on her own, after the North Gauteng High Court dismissed her motion to avoid arrest.

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