South Africa’s Mapisa-Nqakula Accused of Corruption in R300k ‘Wig’Payment DATELINE: Pretoria, South Africa – LEAD Former South African National Assembly Speaker and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is facing corruption charges, including an alleged demand for a R300,000 ‘wig’payment, as her trial unfolds in the Pretoria High Court.
The trial, which began earlier this month, involves 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering, according to reports.
The State alleges that Mapisa — Nqakula sought R4.
55 million in cash and other benefits from a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contractor, receiving R2. 15 million over three years.
During the trial, a witness testified that after a defense contractor’s suspended R104 million SANDF contract was replaced with another worth R79 million, Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly began requesting hundreds of thousands of rands and later proposed using coded language when discussing money.
Mapisa — Nqakula pleaded not guilty to the charges and appeared calm during her court appearance. She served as the Speaker of the National Assembly and Defence Minister from 2016 to 2019 and is currently the African Union’s Special Representative for East Africa.
The trial is part of an ongoing corruption investigation involving high — profile political figures in South Africa.
It has drawn attention both domestically and internationally, with calls for transparency and accountability in the country’s governance.
The allegations against Mapisa — Nqakula have raised concerns about corruption within the South African government and the need for stricter anti-corruption measures. KICKER: As the trial continues, the outcome could have significant implications for Mapisa-Nqakula’s political career and the broader fight against corruption in South Africa.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Google News v2
