Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the National Assembly Speaker and Member of Parliament (MP), has announced her immediate resignation. However, she maintains that her resignation is not an admission of guilt regarding the corruption allegations she faces.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s decision comes just after losing a court case attempting to prevent her arrest over allegations of kickbacks during her time as the Minister of Defence.
Mapisa-Nqakula has served as an MP for 30 years and has held various ministerial positions, including Home Affairs, Correctional Services, and Defence. She has been the Speaker for two and a half years.
[ Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s Urgent Court Application To Block Arrest On Corruption Charges Denied ]
In her resignation statement, Mapisa-Nqakula states that she is stepping down to uphold the integrity and sanctity of Parliament. Given the seriousness of the allegations against her, she believes she cannot continue in her role.
The opposition parties have been pressuring Mapisa-Nqakula to resign or face a motion of no confidence, which was tabled by the Democratic Alliance (DA). Mapisa-Nqakula intends to clear her name of the allegations in the appropriate forum when the time is right.
Although she was not scheduled to return to public service after the elections in May, she remains a dedicated member of the African National Congress (ANC).
The DA has welcomed Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation as Speaker of the National Assembly, describing it as long-overdue. The resignation follows her failed court bid to prevent her pending arrest.
Mapisa-Nqakula, who is facing multiple charges of corruption and money laundering from her time as Defence Minister, has resigned from both her position as Speaker and as an MP.
The DA had previously proposed a motion of no confidence against Mapisa-Nqakula. The party believes that the allegations she faces are serious and have tarnished the reputation of Parliament.
The DA hopes that the ethics committee, currently investigating the matter, will continue to do so.
The ANC has commended Mapisa-Nqakula for resigning before being instructed to step aside due to the corruption allegations.
The party issued a short statement confirming that Mapisa-Nqakula submitted her resignation letter to the office of its Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula. The ANC claims that her resignation was to protect the reputation of the former liberation movement.
Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC spokesperson, expressed the party’s appreciation for Mapisa-Nqakula’s commitment to upholding the image of the ANC.
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