‘Even my husband does not know’: Mapisa-Nqakula denies discussing bank balance with contractor - IOL

Former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has denied telling corruption-accused contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu that she had only R6,000 in her bank account, insisting that she never discussed her finances with her.

Former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has denied relying on alleged bribe money to pay workers renovating her Johannesburg home, insisting that she never told defence contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu that she had only R6,000 in her bank account.

She said she never discussed her financial difficulties with her and claimed that Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu got the information from the investigating officers.

“Even my husband does not know how much I have in my bank account,” she told the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.

The State alleges that she solicited R4.5 million in bribes from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu while serving as defence minister between 2016 and 2019, and received R2.1 million in cash.

The alleged payments were reportedly used to fund renovations at Mapisa-Nqakula’s home in Bruma, Johannesburg.

She has pleaded not guilty and denies receiving money from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

Mapisa-Nqakula resigned as National Assembly Speaker following her arrest in April 2024.

The warrant of arrest issued against Mapisa-Nqakula was cancelled after she appeared in court on Wednesday.

The warrant was issued on October 2 after she failed to attend court. However, it was held in abeyance pending her next appearance.

Her previous court appearance on September 9 was cut short after she fell ill. Her legal team subsequently submitted a medical note confirming that she was unable to continue attending proceedings.

On Wednesday, Judge Mashudu Munzhelele formally confirmed the cancellation of the warrant.

Cross-examination continued, with the State questioning Mapisa-Nqakula about her salary, state-provided subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances, tax declarations and bank balance.

During cross-examination, the prosecutor referred Mapisa-Nqakula to her bank statements, which reflected an overdraft limit of R10,000.

He further put it to her that between April 4 and 9, she had approximately R6,000 available.

Mapisa-Nqakula agreed that the statements reflected those amounts.

However, she disputed the State’s suggestion that she had told Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu about her financial position.

She said she could not confirm what Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu knew about her bank balance, but maintained that she had never disclosed the information to her.

The prosecutor put it to her that Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu had testified that Mapisa-Nqakula told her she had only R6,000 in her account when they met at her home.

Mapisa-Nqakula rejected the allegation.

She also disputed the claim that workers were waiting to be paid for work completed at her house and that she would not have been able to pay them without the money allegedly brought by Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

She argued that the State was relying on the contractor’s version of events, saying there would not have been workers waiting for payment as alleged.

The judge reminded her that this was part of Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s testimony.

Mapisa-Nqakula said the allegation suited the contractor’s version of events.

“I had no reason, my lady, to tell Nombasa about my problem, that I had an overdraft problem. I had no reason to tell Nombasa about my problem,” she told the court.

She also insisted: “I never asked for Nombasa’s money.”

Mapisa-Nqakula added that, as the accused in the matter, she understood that people could make allegations against her, but would leave certain issues for her legal representative to address.

The prosecutor also questioned Mapisa-Nqakula about her repeated references to Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s status as a section 204 witness.

A section 204 witness is a person who may receive indemnity from prosecution in exchange for giving evidence.

The prosecutor said he wanted to give Mapisa-Nqakula an opportunity to explain why she had repeatedly raised the issue.

She denied having a problem with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu being granted the status, saying it was not her concern.

Mapisa-Nqakula said her objection was that she had become central to decisions and arrangements involving the contractor, investigators and the State.

She said she had learnt more about the section 204 process during the proceedings, which began in 2024.

The prosecutor responded that no determination had yet been made regarding the matter and that the court would deal with it at the appropriate time.

Mapisa-Nqakula also said she had only become aware of Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s section 204 status when it was mentioned by the judge during the proceedings.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu previously testified under an indemnity agreement with the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption.

She told the court that she had made several cash payments to Mapisa-Nqakula after her logistics company, Umkhombe Marine, was awarded a R79 million contract.

She testified that she later confided in her younger sister, Andiswa, after the latter noticed a bag containing about R400,000 hidden beneath a wig at her home.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu said she explained to her sister how she had become involved in the alleged arrangement and why she was struggling to get out of it.

She subsequently took Andiswa with her to Mapisa-Nqakula’s home.

After introducing her sister to the then minister, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu said she and Mapisa-Nqakula went into a private room to speak.

According to her testimony, Mapisa-Nqakula pointed out workers outside the house who had completed painting work and said they were waiting to be paid.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu alleged that Mapisa-Nqakula told her she had only R6,000 in her bank account and needed to pay the workers before they left.

She testified that she then handed Mapisa-Nqakula a bag containing the money, which the former minister placed behind a pillow before they left.

Mapisa-Nqakula has denied this version of events, insisting that she never told Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu about her bank balance or asked her for money.