By Hassan Isilow
South Africa’s National Assembly speaker late Wednesday announced her resignation from parliament amid ongoing corruption investigations against her.
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of taking bribes from contractors totaling 4.5 million rand (nearly $240,000) during her tenure as defense minister, an allegation she denies.
The 67-year-old became speaker in 2021 after serving as defense chief for nearly a decade.
"My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me,” she said in her resignation letter.
She added: “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"
On Tuesday, a court in Pretoria dismissed her urgent court application to prevent law enforcement authorities from arresting her over the corruption allegations.
Judge Sulet Potterill said Mapisa-Nqakula’s case was weak and not urgent.
Potterill said the relief the speaker was seeking would set a precedent for other suspects, adding that she had been given a chance to hand herself over to the police, an opportunity other accused individuals rarely get.