ANC refers Mapisa-Nqakula to its Integrity Commission

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu has confirmed that the ANC had referred former speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to its integrity committee over the corruption allegations against her.

Bhengu was speaking at a press briefing on Friday where the ANC was outlining its position on international affairs, such as the war between Palestine and Israel.

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ANC internal processes

“The integrity commission committee of the ANC is seized with the matter and true to our internal democracy and internal control environment the matter is being attended to,” Bhengu said on the charges faced by Mapisa-Nqakula.

Bhengu said the committee had already discussed the allegations against the former speaker of Parliament and her arrest.

“I am also very keen not discuss matters of that nature because we always grant you an audience every time,” she said.

Member of the ANC’s subcommittee on international relations Obed Bapela said the ANC had taken note of the concerns that Mapisa-Nqakula raised in her affidavit when she was applying for bail in court on Thursday.

ALSO READ: Mapisa-Nqakula wants to avoid jail – says they’re unsafe, lack proper medical care

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa commended Mapisa-Nqakula for resigning from parliament. He said it was a courageous move amid the challenges she was experiencing.

ANC’s poor leadership on speaker’s arrest

But political analyst Sipho Seepe said the ANC had not shown leadership when it came to dealing with the arrest of the country’s speaker of parliament.

According to Seepe, the ANC found it difficult to deal with the matter because Mapisa-Nqakula had defended some members of the ANC in parliament.

“Most of them are implicated. She may have wittingly or unwittingly protected Ramaphosa on Phala Phala. The problem is that they cannot enter into that space because then the question will be who is condemning who. They are in a difficult space,” he said.