As part of a corruption investigation against National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, South African detectives visited her residence on Tuesday, according to the parliament.
According to a statement from parliament, the National Prosecution Authority’s’s (NPA) Investigative Directorate’s operation was connected to an investigation into possible wrongdoing that occurred while the speaker served as minister of defense.
The Johannesburg-based Mapisa-Nqakula is suspected of accepting millions of rands in cash as bribes from a former military contractor during her tenure as defense minister, according to a report by South Africa’s state-run broadcaster SABC.
“The Speaker confirms that she has nothing to hide and persistently defends her strong belief in innocence,” the parliament stated, noting that the search at her home took more than five hours.
The NPA and the parliament failed to offer further details on the investigation or the corruption allegations. It was not clear if any charges would be brought against her.
A veteran of the governing African National Congress, Mapisa-Nqakula was South Africa’s defence minister from 2012 to 2021.
(Reuters)
