Following her resignation as National Assembly Speaker and Member of Parliament (MP) on Wednesday night, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has handed herself over to the police, The Times Post confirms.
She arrived at the Lyttelton Police Station in Tshwane early on Thursday morning after the Pretoria High Court dismissed her application to block her arrest for corruption allegations on Tuesday.
Mapisa-Nqakula had approached the court last week to block her arrest pending the handing over of her docket. A convoy that was seen leaving her home made its way to the Lyttelton Police Station, as reported by the SABC.
[ Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula Resigns As National Assembly Speaker Amid Corruption Allegation ]
The convoy was later seen leaving the station. She is set to face charges of 12 counts of corruption involving R4.5 million dating back to when she was Defence Minister. She is expected to make her first court appearance today.
She announced her resignation on Wednesday evening in a letter to Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli. The resignation is effective immediately.
“I have made this conscious decision in order to dedicate my time and focus to deal with the recently announced investigation against me by our country’s law enforcement agencies,” Mapisa-Nqakula said in the letter. She emphasized that the resignation was not an admission of guilt.
#MapisaNqakula Former DP Baleka Mbete’s Presidential Convoy that had driven in has just left after spending over 30 minutes in the police station. Mbete was here to show support and solidarity to her comrade & friend. #sabcnews https://t.co/cJLCELVj8v pic.twitter.com/iEIbTD7ybd
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) April 4, 2024
“I have made this 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 as a whole,” she said.
Mapisa-Nqakula acknowledged the critical role of the Speaker of the National Assembly in the reconstruction and development of the country. She expressed that given the seriousness of the much-publicized allegations against her, she cannot continue in this role.
As the country’s chief lawmaker, she believes she holds a central responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of Parliament by ensuring that her actions allow its sacred work to continue without blemish.
Mapisa-Nqakula maintained her innocence and expressed her determination to restore her good reputation.
She stated that she believes, at the right time, she will have the opportunity to thoroughly address these allegations when they have been formally brought against her in the appropriate forums.
She concluded her letter by affirming her commitment to clearing her name and stated her belief in the justice system. She hoped that her innocence would be proven and her good name restored.
The resignation of Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as National Assembly Speaker and MP, followed by her subsequent arrest, marks a significant development in the ongoing corruption allegations against her.
As the legal process unfolds, the public will watch closely to see how this case progresses and whether justice will be served.
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