South African parliament speaker loses court bid to prevent arrest over graft

By Hassan Isilow

A high court in South Africa on Tuesday dismissed the National Assembly speaker’s urgent court application to prevent the authorities from arresting her over allegations of corruption.

Pretoria High Court Judge Sulet Potterill said Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s case is weak and not urgent.

Potterill said the relief the speaker is seeking will set a precedent for other suspects, adding that she had been given a chance to hand over herself to the police, an opportunity other accused rarely get.

Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of taking bribes from contractors amounting to 4.5 million Rand (approximately $239,294) during her tenure as the defense minister, an allegation she denies.

The 67-year-old became speaker in 2021 after serving as the defense chief for nearly a decade.

Last month, an elite police unit searched her home in Johannesburg seeking evidence of the alleged corruption.

She took special leave from her position as the speaker last week, saying the decision is to protect the integrity of the parliament and ensure its sacred duty.

Mapisa-Nqakula has also claimed at one point that allegations against her are politically motivated, but the National Prosecuting Authority says the matter is purely legal.