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Mapisa-Nqakula didn’t resign because she’s guilty – Ramaphosa
The former National Assembly speaker vacated her position this week.
President Cyril Ramaphosa during a Q&A session at Parliament on 5 September 2023. Picture: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for resigning from her position amid allegations of corruption against her.
Speaking to the media in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Thursday, Ramaphosa commended Mapisa-Nqakula‘s courage amid challenges and emphasised her respect for the rule of law and ongoing legal proceedings.
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The president also highlighted that her decision wasn’t an admission of guilt, but a commitment to safeguard the nation’s legislature, the ruling party, and the government.
“The former speaker said she wants to resign, not so much because she is guilty; she is doing it to respect Parliament, the ANC and the government as a whole.
“We should recognise that her level of integrity for our democracy has made her do this. That should be commended and she should be applauded.”
Ramaphosa previously stated that law enforcement processes must progress to a certain stage before any action can be taken against Mapisa-Nqakula after her house was raided by the Hawks last month.
Mapisa-Nqakula resignation
Although she maintained her innocence, Mapisa-Nqakula vacated her position and as Member of Parliament (MP) a day before she appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court for alleged corruption.
The former speaker decided to hand herself over to the police after the High Court in Pretoria dismissed her interdict application to block her arrest this week.
She was released on R50 000 bail on Thursday morning, with her case being postponed to 4 June.
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Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 charges of corruption and one count of money laundering.
The former Cabinet minister was accused of receiving more than R2 million in bribes from a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contractor during her tenure as defence minister.
She allegedly received the bribes between December 2016 and July 2019.
New speaker election
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for an urgent election of a new speaker.
Although Lechasa Tsenoli is acting as speaker, the DA has stressed that Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation “created a vacancy in parliament”.
The party is expected to write a letter to parliament’s secretary, Xolile George, requesting that the secretary initiate “the necessary processes as the only official duly empowered by the rules of the National Assembly to do so”.
“The sixth parliament remains competent to perform its important functions until 21 May 2024. There is still outstanding business of the House, which must be completed.
“While there is a looming election, we cannot play fast-and-loose with provisions of the Constitution and the rules of the National Assembly.
“These decisions and our actions are precedent-setting and must be followed to the letter and cannot be simply ignored for the sake of convenience,” DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said in a statement on Thursday.
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