South Africa’s ‘President-Elect’ Detained in Corruption Investigation

Not long ago, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, aged 67, held the influential position of speaker of the South African Parliament, ranking third for the presidency in Africa’s largest and most advanced economy.

Today, the veteran anti-apartheid activist from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is now facing trial on 12 charges of corruption and money laundering.

According to investigators speaking to The Epoch Times, they are determined to demonstrate that Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula “solicited bribes totaling 4.5 million rands ($241,000)” in return for granting contracts during her tenure as defense minister between 2017 and 2019.

“The evidence against her is overwhelmingly strong,” one officer stated. “She could potentially face a prison sentence of up to 15 years.”

Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula appeared in court on April 4, vehemently denying the allegations and stating to a magistrate, “I do not have a tendency to engage in criminal activities.”

She was granted bail.

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She recently became the highest official from the ANC to step down from her position due to corruption, while emphasizing that her resignation was not an acknowledgment of guilt.

On March 19, after a police unit known as the Hawks searched her home in Johannesburg as part of an operation, Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula expressed feeling “persecuted” but vowed to cooperate with the authorities.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praised her for choosing to resign.

“We must appreciate that her commitment to our democracy and integrity is what led her to take this action,” he remarked.

Professor Susan Booysen, one of South Africa’s most experienced political analysts, explained to The Epoch Times that Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation from the speaker role, a position that made her essentially the head of the legislative branch, is unparalleled.

“South Africans have grown accustomed to corruption scandals involving the ANC due to their frequency,” Ms. Booysen noted.

“What they haven’t seen much of is the actual arrests and prosecutions of senior ANC officials, making the rapid development of this case quite surprising.”

The charges against Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula come just over six weeks before an election that surveys indicate will mark the decline of the ANC’s 30-year dominance in South Africa.

Experts believe the party will likely have to form a coalition government to stay in power, but its authority will be significantly weakened.

Ms. Booysen suggested that President Ramaphosa and other members of the ANC National Executive Committee “clearly approved” the case against one of their own.

“It would be naïve to think otherwise since the ANC oversees virtually everything in South Africa and wields extensive control over police, intelligence, and legislative services,” she pointed out.

“This move is strategic because as the election approaches, the ANC is being criticized for behaving like an organized crime group that is pillaging the country while shielding high-ranking members implicated in corruption.

“Now that the party’s third most influential office bearer is facing financial crime charges, President Ramaphosa can tell voters: ‘Look; I promised to tackle corruption, even within my own organization; I pledged to clean up my government.'”

Since the end of apartheid in 1994 and Nelson Mandela’s election as president after South Africa’s inaugural multiparty, multiracial elections, numerous high-ranking ANC officials have been embroiled in corruption allegations.

Still, only a handful have faced charges, and none have been convicted for corruption.

Nevertheless, no charges pertaining to his tenure in office have been filed against Mr. Zuma, who remains a prominent political figure in South Africa.

Mr. Zuma maintains his innocence, alleging that the charges against him are part of a “political scheme” orchestrated by President Ramaphosa and his supposed co-conspirators, a group of South African business magnates whom Mr. Zuma labels “white monopoly capitalists.”

Mr. Ramaphosa supplanted Mr. Zuma at an ANC leadership conference at the end of 2017, vowing to “rejuvenate” an ANC he claimed had been “infiltrated by criminal elements.”

Despite the ANC’s historical association with corruption, party members expressed surprise at Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula’s arrest.

“We all believed Comrade Nosiviwe was being groomed to become South Africa’s first female leader,” remarked David Adriaanse, an ANC branch official in western Johannesburg.

“We essentially saw her as a future president,” he told The Epoch Times.

However, Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula’s various positions in government since 1994 have been marred by accusations of misconduct and misappropriation of public funds.

Nevertheless, a few weeks later, the president appointed her as the speaker in the ANC-dominated Parliament.

Siviwe Gwarube, a senior figure from the primary opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), asserted that Mr. Ramaphosa’s alleged “anti-corruption” campaign was “stillborn” from its inception.

“It remains stagnant, even with the charges against the former speaker,” she remarked.

“If he truly intended to battle corruption, why did he elevate Mapisa-Nqakula to third in line for the presidency, regardless of the bribery accusations known since 2019?”

The DA is also demanding an inquiry into Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula’s involvement in approving high salaries for ANC parliamentary officials during her tenure as speaker.

“On one occasion, she sanctioned an annual salary of nearly 3 million rand ($161,137) for a parliamentary secretary,” Ms. Gwarube disclosed.

“Ramaphosa, like all of us, has always been aware of her dubious dealings. In fact, he admitted as much when he docked her three months’ worth of salary for providing rides to her ANC associates on military aircraft.

“Now, he asserts that the case against her signifies the ANC’s commitment to the rule of law. Ramaphosa assumes we are all fools.”

On the streets of Johannesburg, residents overwhelmingly greeted Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula’s arrest and the charges levied against her. Nevertheless, none of those interviewed by The Epoch Times expressed optimism about her eventual prosecution.

“We’ve witnessed many times how well-connected ANC figures who commit crimes escape unpunished,” stated Mike Mkhwanazi, the manager of an electronics repair shop.

His colleague, Loyiso Mlangeni, chuckled and remarked, “The government will utilize public funds to provide the best legal representation in the land to defend this woman.

“If a miracle happens, she might be convicted. Then she’ll be imprisoned for a few weeks before being released on medical parole.

“Afterward, we’ll learn a few months later that she has been appointed an ambassador in China, Russia, or Brazil, where she can enjoy the money she fleeced from us.”