Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has announced she will take “special leave” following rumours that she will soon be arrested.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations and the attendant extensive media speculation, I have decided to take special leave from my position as Speaker of the National Assembly, effective immediately,” said Mapisa-Nqakula in an official statement.
“This decision has been communicated to the Secretary of Parliament and to the President of the Republic in his capacity as Head of State.”
“This decision by myself is meant to protect the integrity of Parliament and ensure its sacred duty and its name continue unblemished,” Mapisa-Nqakula added.
“I assure the nation of my willingness to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies on any matter that may arise.”
Bribery accusations
Mapisa-Nqakula has been accused of taking R2.3 million in bribes when she was the minister of defence, and earlier this week, her home was raided amid a corruption investigation ordered by the NPA.
“I wish to place it on record, that while the Investigative Directorate of the National Prosecution Authority conducted a search and seizure at my residence, there has been no formal notification of an arrest warrant or communication regarding an imminent arrest for me, neither to me nor my legal team,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.
“My lawyers have, however, proactively informed the National Prosecution Authority of my readiness to comply and cooperate should the need arise.”
Mapisa-Nqakula also noted that she will no longer be leading a delegation to an Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland – despite this being announced earlier today.
Loading ...
Join the conversation Autoload comments
Comments section policy: MyBroadband has a new article comments policy which aims to encourage constructive discussions. To get your comments published, make sure it is civil and adds value to the discussion.