Former National Assembly speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today (April 4) where she was granted R50 000 bail with conditions.

This comes after Mapisa-Nqakula handed herself over to the authorities after facing the threat of arrest over graft charges.

She is facing 12 counts of corruption involving R4.5m dating back to her time as defence minister.

Earlier today, lead prosecutor Adv. Bheki Manyathi said the state does not oppose Mapisa-Nqakula’s bail application due to her medical condition.

According to her lawyer, she has hypertension.

They also took into account the fact that she handed herself over to the police.

Mapisa-Nqakula arrived at the Lyttelton Police Station in Centurion early this morning to hand herself over to officials from the Investigating Directorate (ID).

The matter was postponed until June 4 with the state indicating that another accused will be charged in connection with the case.

Mapisa-Nqakula resigned late last night (April 3). She said her resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt.

“My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me. 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.

“The position of the speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa is critical in the reconstruction and development of our country. Given the seriousness of the much-publicised allegations against me, I cannot continue in this role. As a country’s chief lawmaker, I hold a central responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of parliament by ensuring that my actions ensure that its sacred work must continue without blemish,” she said in her letter to the acting speaker.

This comes after the ID was investigating the speaker in connection with allegations that she was paid millions in cash bribes by a defence force contractor.

The investigation found she allegedly received R2.3m in cash delivered in gift bags by defence businessperson Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu‚ who is married to a general in the military health service.