Former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appeared in the Pretoria high court on Monday, facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. The charges relate to her tenure as defence minister between 2016 and 2019, during which she allegedly solicited R4.5m in bribes from South African National Defence Force (SANDF) logistics contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu. Mapisa-Nqakula has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the state's key witness, previously testified about the alleged gratification, claiming code words such as impepho, indumba, snuff, padkos and wig were used to solicit money. However, Mapisa-Nqakula denied using such code words, stating that she had only received impepho, a traditional African incense plant, from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, not money. She described it as a single, round-shaped bundle that she used at home.
Mapisa-Nqakula questioned why Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu would make such allegations against her, saying she did not know why the contractor would lie. She emphasized that her version of events is the truth and that she had been asking herself why Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu would claim she received large sums of money. Mapisa-Nqakula described herself as a harsh person but denied being vicious or greedy.
The court heard that Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu allegedly gave Mapisa-Nqakula R150,000 in cash after a request was made using the code word "impepho". However, Mapisa-Nqakula maintained that she would have told Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to keep her money if she had been offered it. She stated that she had not been given money by Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu in any of the 12 counts.
Prosecutor Emile van der Merwe posed hypothetical scenarios to Mapisa-Nqakula, including one where two criminals discussing a crime over a recorded phone line or WhatsApp would use explicit words to commit the crime. Mapisa-Nqakula replied that she did not know because she had "never been a criminal" and had "never had codes in relation to criminal activities".
Van der Merwe also asked Mapisa-Nqakula about her relationship with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, suggesting that the contractor may have received something in return for the alleged bribes. Mapisa-Nqakula denied this, stating that she did not know what Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu would have received in return for the money. She emphasized that she was a human being and Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu was a human being, and that she did not understand why the contractor would change their relationship.
The trial continues, with Mapisa-Nqakula maintaining her innocence and denying all charges. The case has significant implications for the SANDF and government procurement processes. Mapisa-Nqakula's responses suggest that she will contest the allegations and challenge Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu's testimony.
Key points
- Mapisa-Nqakula denies soliciting R4.5m in bribes from SANDF contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.
- The former defence minister claims she was given impepho, a traditional African incense plant, not money.
- Mapisa-Nqakula describes herself as a harsh person but denies being vicious or greedy.
