Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has taken special leave. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane, Independent Newspapers
SPEAKER Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s fight to prevent law enforcement agencies from arresting her is headed for the Pretoria High Court on Monday.
This was after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the urgent application will appear before court, although it said it will oppose the application as it was “baseless”.
The stand-off began earlier week following a raid at Mapisa-Nqakula’s house in Johannesburg by the NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID).
The Speaker has since taken special leave and Parliament said this was provided for in the rules of the National Assembly.
Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of taking bribes totalling R2.3 million from a supplier in the Department of Defence. At the time of the alleged incidents Mapisa-Nqakula was the minister of defence, before she was deployed to Parliament in 2021.
On Sunday, the NPA said the urgent application will be heard in the high court on an urgent basis.
“She is seeking an order interdicting the NPA’s ID from arresting her. The NPA’s ID will oppose the application as we believe it is baseless and has no merit,” said NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga.
Mapisa-Nqakula has denied the allegations of corruption against her.
Political parties have called for Mapisa-Nqakula to quit.