‘Even my husband doesn’t know’: Mapisa-Nqakula denies R6,000 claim

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula_tired

Pretoria – Former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has denied telling defence contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu that she had only R6,000 in her bank account, rejecting claims that she needed the contractor’s alleged bribe money to pay workers renovating her Johannesburg home.

Testifying in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday, Mapisa-Nqakula said she had never discussed her financial position with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

“Even my husband does not know how much I have in my bank account,” she told the court.

The State alleges that Mapisa-Nqakula solicited R4.5 million in bribes from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu while serving as defence minister between 2016 and 2019, and received R2.1 million in cash. The alleged payments were linked to a R79 million contract awarded to the contractor’s logistics company, Umkhombe Marine.

Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. She has pleaded not guilty and denies receiving money from the contractor.

According to EWN, prosecutors presented her bank statements during Wednesday’s cross-examination in an attempt to support Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s testimony.

The statements showed that Mapisa-Nqakula had an overdraft limit of R10,000 and that her account had a negative balance of just over R4,000 on 4 April 2019. The prosecutor argued that she had approximately R6,000 available between 4 and 9 April.

Mapisa-Nqakula accepted that the figures appeared in her bank statements but disputed that she had shared the information with the contractor.

She rejected the claim that workers who had completed painting work at her home were waiting to be paid and that she needed money from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to settle their wages.

“I had no reason, my lady, to tell Nombasa about my problem, that I had an overdraft problem. I had no reason to tell Nombasa about my problem,” she said.

She added: “I never asked for Nombasa’s money.”

The prosecutor referred to Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s earlier testimony that Mapisa-Nqakula had told her she had only R6,000 in her account and needed to pay workers before they left the property.

The contractor testified that she handed the former minister a bag containing money, which Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly placed behind a pillow.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu also told the court that she had confided in her younger sister, Andiswa, after the latter discovered about R400,000 hidden beneath a wig at her home.

She said she later took her sister to Mapisa-Nqakula’s home and introduced her to the then minister. According to her testimony, the two women later spoke privately, during which Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly pointed out workers who were waiting for payment.

Mapisa-Nqakula has rejected this account.

Section 204 witness questioned

The former minister was also questioned about her repeated references to Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s status as a section 204 witness.

According to IOL, section 204 witness may receive indemnity from prosecution in exchange for providing evidence to the State.

Mapisa-Nqakula said she did not object to the contractor receiving the status. However, she questioned the role she believed she had been placed in during discussions and arrangements involving the contractor, investigators and the State.

She told the court that she had learnt more about the section 204 process during the trial and only became aware of Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s status after it was mentioned by the judge.

The prosecutor said no final determination had been made on the issue and that the court would deal with it at the appropriate time.

Arrest warrant cancelled

Wednesday’s proceedings also saw the court formally cancel the warrant of arrest issued against Mapisa-Nqakula after she failed to appear on 2 October.

The warrant had been held in abeyance pending her return to court. Her previous appearance was cut short after she fell ill, with her legal team later submitting a medical certificate.

Judge Mashudu Munzhelele confirmed the cancellation after Mapisa-Nqakula appeared as scheduled.

According to Sowetan, the former minister’s return to court allowed proceedings to continue, with cross-examination focusing on her income, state-provided subsistence and travel allowances, and tax declarations.

Mapisa-Nqakula resigned as National Assembly Speaker following her arrest in April 2024.

The trial continues.

Picture: Screengrab

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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