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Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. (Jaco Marais/Netwerk24)
- Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced her resignation amid graft allegations.
- Her resignation as Speaker and MP came after a failed court bid to interdict the State from arresting her.
- She was accused of receiving bribes from a contractor during her time as defence minister.
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has officially resigned as National Assembly Speaker amid graft allegations.
In her resignation letter, dated 3 April, Mapisa-Nqakula said she was resigning as the Speaker and as a Member of Parliament.
"My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me. I have made a decision in order to uphold the integrity and sanctity of our Parliament, an apex institution of our system of government, representing the people of South Africa."
The resignation comes after the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed her urgent appeal to prevent the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the SA Police Service from arresting her on corruption charges.
READ | NPA rejects Mapisa-Nqakula's claim that her corruption case is politically motivated
On Tuesday, News24 reported that the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria struck Mapisa-Nqakula's second urgent bid to interdict the State from arresting her on corruption charges from the roll - with costs. That ruling effectively paved the way for the State to arrest Mapisa-Nqakula and to bring her before court.
However, the NPA was mum on the imminent arrest.
The State alleges that, during her tenure as defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula received R2.3 million in bribes and gratifications from a defence contractor, who has now turned State witness.
The bribes were allegedly paid after former air hostess and businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the sole director of Umkhombe Marine (Pty) Ltd, and herself, a tender fraud suspect, received payments for the defence contracts she had received.
In her letter, Mapisa-Nqakula said:
Given the seriousness of the much-publicised allegations against me, I cannot continue in this role. As a country's chief lawmaker, I hold a central responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of Parliament by ensuring that my actions ensure that its sacred work must continue without blemish. I believe that, at the right time, I will have the opportunity to thoroughly address these allegations as and when they have been formally brought against me in the appropriate forums, at which time I will clear my good name. I maintain my innocence and am determined to restore my good reputation.
She went on to say that she believed in the principle that "every South African to be deemed innocent until proven guilty".
"Given the public trust entrusted in me as a Speaker of our National Assembly and the need for me to protect the image of our organisation, the African National Congress, I have an obligation, despite the principle that I should be deemed innocent, to step down from my office."
She said she had written to the ANC about her decision, and thanked the party "for having given me the opportunity and trusted me with many senior leadership responsibilities in service of our people and our revolution over the years".
She said she would remain a "dedicated" member of the party.
The ANC confirmed that secretary-general Fikile Mbalula had received Mapisa-Nqakula's resignation letter.
"In her resignation, comrade Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula highlighted her intention to protect the reputation of our organisation, the African National Congress, after dedicating more than 30 years of service," the party said in a statement.
The DA's chief whip, Siviwe Gwarube, welcomed Mapisa-Nqakula's decision.
She said: "We believe that anyone who holds this high office should be beyond reproach, and Ms Mapisa-Nqakula is not suited for it."
The IFP's Mkhuleko Hlengwa applauded the former Speaker's decision to resign, saying: "This is a responsible decision by Mrs Mapisa-Nqakula as it allows her to focus on her legal matters without dragging Parliament along any further."
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo confimed the resignation and thanked Mapisa-Nqakula for her service.
"The Acting Speaker of the National Assembly extends gratitude to Ms Mapisa-Nqakula for her service to the nation over her 30-year tenure as a Member of Parliament and, most recently, in her role as Speaker of the National Assembly since 19 August 2021," Mothapo said.
