National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in Sandton on 2 February 2022. Picture: Gallo Images/Daily Maverick/Felix Dlangamandla
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has denied it’s giving National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula special treatment ahead of her arrest.
The speaker will have to hand herself over to authorities after her urgent Pretoria High Court application to block her arrest for corruption allegations was struck off the roll on Tuesday.
Gauteng High Court Judge Sulet Potterill found no urgency in her interdict application.
Mapisa-Nqakula approached the court last week to block her arrest pending the handing over of her docket, which the state argued was bizarre.
NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga denied offering any courtesy to Mapisa-Nqakula compared to other accused.
“It is not, this is open to every citizen in the country, this happened in the past. Just I don’t have the names of the people that were extended that courtesy before.”
Mhaga gave no indication when the Parliamentary speaker will hand herself over for arrest.
“We don’t discuss issues of arrests, evidential issues, and investigative processes in the media. But obviously, the wheels of justice will now be in motion. We’ve always maintained that this is unprecedented and we didn’t have to be brought to court.
“We have always maintained that the process of arrest will be done seamlessly,” Mhaga said.
ALSO READ: ‘Wheels of justice now in motion’: Mapisa-Nqakula has to hand herself over for arrest
In her judgment, Potteril said the effect of the relief that Mapisa-Nqakula sought would “open the floodgates” for suspects to interdict their arrests.
She said authorities were lenient towards Mapisa-Nqakula.
“A court cannot interdict to prevent statutory authorities to comply with their statutory dues and it is not as if the state representatives had not been lenient.”
United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa has welcomed the judgment.
“She must please spare us of this business of a motion of no confidence in the National Assembly Speaker. We are busy campaigning. Mapisa-Nqakula must present herself to Saps finish and klaar!”
The speaker is set to face charges of 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering involving R4.5 million dating back to when she was defence minister.
ALSO READ: NPA to request ‘substantial’ bail for Mapisa-Nqakula so she won’t ‘abscond’
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