The court also authorised a warrant of arrest against Mapisa-Nqakula and held it over until her next scheduled appearance.
Former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appears at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on 20 January 2025. Picture: Gallo Images / Deaan Vivier
Former National Assembly speaker and defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula did not appear in the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday due to ill health.
This after the court proceedings were halted on Wednesday for the same reason.
“The accused is not before the court today. Due to her illness that she is, or has suffered, I have a medical report. I have a medical report. I beg leave of the court of the Registrar. The state has been given a copy,” explained her legal representative.
“The medical report is dated 9 September. And it states the medical condition. And it also tells us the date on which she is expected to be fit.”
The matter was postponed to 16 September 2026 for further hearing. The court also authorised a warrant of arrest against Mapisa-Nqakula and held it over until 16 September 2026.
Mapisa-Nqakula: ‘I did not receive money’
On Wednesday, Mapisa-Nqakula denied allegations that Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu gave her the dollar equivalent of R150 000 for her official trip to the United States in September 2018.
She said she received an allowance for the trip, like other officials when they travel outside the country.
Although the money was not that much, it was still enough, as the government paid for most things, including accommodation, she said.
“By the time you arrive, your accommodation is sorted, inclusive of breakfast and sometimes dinner. In my case, even laundry services. There is not much that you will do from your side in terms of expenditure because everything has been taken care of, unless you choose to do something else; then you use that allowance because it was given to you,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.
Mapisa-Nqakula resigned as National Assembly speaker and member of parliament (MP) in April 2024 and handed herself over to the Lyttelton Police Station that same month.
Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. She is accused of receiving and soliciting R4.5 million, with R2.1 million allegedly received in cash from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, a service provider to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), between December 2016 and July 2019. She has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu has now turned state witness.
