Former Speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has turned herself in to police, a day after resigning from her position amidst corruption allegations.
Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula presented herself at a police station in Centurion, near Johannesburg, and is set to appear in court on corruption charges related to her tenure as defence minister.
The allegations against her involve soliciting bribes in exchange for awarding contracts during her time in the defence ministry.
Despite her resignation, Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula has maintained her innocence, stating that stepping down does not equate to an admission of guilt but rather reflects the seriousness of the accusations.
A special police unit previously conducted a raid on her home as part of the corruption investigation.
The veteran politician, who played a significant role in the anti-apartheid struggle, became Speaker in 2021 after serving as defence minister for seven years.
Her legal team had attempted to prevent her arrest, citing concerns about her dignity, but the courts rejected this request.
The charges against her include allegedly demanding $120,000 in exchange for facilitating a tender for transporting army equipment.
This development occurs amidst South Africa’s upcoming general election, with corruption and mismanagement of public funds being key issues facing the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since 1994.
Source-BBC
