Cape Town — Parliament Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, said throwing her iin jail would threaten her health as a pensioner and senior citizen.
This week has been nothing short of dramatic for Mapisa-Nqakula as she had her house raided by the Hawks on Thursday owing to R2.3 million wort of bribes she solicited. It was later announced that she had taken special leave amid the corruption allegations. Following that, it was announced that she was arrested and handed herself over to the police, something she later denied.
In her urgent court bid, she said her her dignity and reputation is being attacked and said the unfairness of the raid on her house would impact her the fairness of her trial, EWN reported.
“The ultimate purpose of this application is to protect my constitutional right inter- alia to freedom, and dignity, including my rights to good name and reputation and self-esteem as well as to pursue a vocation of my choosing,” she said.
Defenceweb editor Guy Martin says National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has had several allegations of corruption made against her in the past, but it is up to the prosecutors and investigators to prove these.
Watch: https://t.co/Y8Sr8dPoDW#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/pMTTLbmNSX
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 22, 2024
She believes the case against her is weak and attempts to get her behind bars aren’t backed by sufficient evidence.
According to TimesLIVE, she sought the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi and police minister Bheki Cele as respondents.
“If I am wrong in any of what I say, it would be simplicity itself for the respondents to give disclosure and disprove it. As will be canvassed in detail, they have given extensive disclosure to the press. I am the only one who is not in this privileged position.”
““I am a senior person and the respondents rushing me into a police cell for reasons other than that I am a flight risk is a threat to my health and life,” she said.
The DA has filed a motion to have National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula removed from office. Political analyst Thobani Zikalala says this scandal exposes the level of the rot within the
country’s political leaders.Watch: https://t.co/OBm8i7REdq pic.twitter.com/v3aqqQuJEd
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 22, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
