AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula should be ‘applauded’ for resigning, says Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the former National Assembly Speaker’s decision to resign from her position. Mapisa-Nqakula was granted R50,000 bail on Thursday after being charged with corruption and money laundering.
Following the bail hearing of former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, President Cyril Ramaphosa weighed in on her resignation while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Newlyn PX Terminal launch at the Durban Port on Thursday.
“So the process continues in the way in which it is unfolding and the former Speaker said she wants to resign, not so much because she is guilty — she is doing it to respect Parliament. Her level of integrity for our democracy has made her do this; this can be commended, that should be applauded,” Ramaphosa said.
ANC National Executive Committee member Andile Lungisa tweeted in support of Mapisa-Nqakula on Thursday morning.
I’m a permanent believer of a principle of innocent until proven guilty. I pray for Mama uNosiviwe to overcome. I did pray for others before because to me a principle is a principle is not like seasonal fruits or flowers. Umzali ngumzali. pic.twitter.com/JeIHcXwrY5
— Andile Lungisa (@mrlungisa) April 4, 2024
“Mama Nosiviwe please stay strong, this moment shall pass, you will overcome. I am a permanent believer of the principle of innocent until proven guilty. I pray for Mama uNosiviwe to overcome. I did pray for others because to me, a principle is a principle not like seasonal fruits or flowers. Umzali ngumzali [a parent is a parent],” he tweeted.
Former speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appears at the Pretoria magistrate court on allegations of corruption on 04 April 2024. (Photo:Felix Dlangamandla)
Mapisa-Nqakula appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to face 12 charges of corruption and one of money laundering. She was accused of soliciting R4.55-million in bribes from a contractor in exchange for awarding contracts between 2016 and 2019 while she was defence minister. She was granted bail of R50,000.
The Sunday Times reported that the Investigating Directorate found that during Mapisa-Nqakula’s tenure as defence minister, she allegedly received R2.3-million in cash from businessperson Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who is married to a general in the military health service.
Mapisa-Nqakula took special leave after the story broke early in March, and officially tendered her resignation as Speaker of the National Assembly and a member of Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation spares ANC embarrassment of having to publicly defend her
In her resignation letter, she said she wanted to focus on dealing with the investigation against her.
She maintained that she was innocent and said she was determined to restore her “good reputation”.
“My resignation is in no way an indication or admission of guilt regarding the allegations being levelled against me. I have made this decision in order to uphold the integrity and sanctity of our Parliament, an apex institution of our system of government, representing the People of South Africa as a whole.
“As a country’s chief lawmaker, I hold a central responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of Parliament by ensuring that my actions ensure that its sacred work must continue without blemish. I believe that, at the right time, I will have the opportunity to thoroughly address these allegations as and when they have been formally brought against me in the appropriate forums, at which time I will clear my good name,” she wrote.
The ANC said Lechesa Tsenoli would continue in his role as the acting Speaker and that, “In her resignation, Comrade Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula highlighted her intention to protect the reputation of our organisation, the African National Congress, after dedicating more than 30 years of service.
“We value her commitment to maintaining the image of our organisation, as it reflects our principles of organisational renewal that promote proactive responsibility-taking among members, rather than waiting for instructions to step aside.”
Read more in Daily Maverick: Mapisa-Nqakula resigns as National Assembly Speaker — and as MP
ANC alliance partner the SA Communist Party (SACP) welcomed Mapisa-Nqakula’s decision to resign.
“Her resignation is correctly sensitive to the comprehensive spirit, viewed purposively, of the ‘step aside’ resolutions adopted by the African National Congress (ANC), with the support of SACP and other ANC-led Alliance partners, as well as most South Africans,” the SACP said. DM
But why did she try to stall and evade the whole process – Stalingrad 1 failed.
I agree with Cyril – I’ll happily👏 her on her way, and a few others also.
If she is to be Applauded for resigning, why stop there? Ramaphosa should declare a Public Holiday, so we can all Celebrate her integrity. Perhaps a cheese and wine at a suitable venue, and yes — a special fundraiser for her future.
I mean, she’s obviously done nothing, WRONG, has she?
Indeed. One of those strange National Awards perhaps, and a road or highway named after her too.
Best I can do is to rename a sewerage works – will that suffice?
Applauded for resigning? It’s only the right thing to do with all the question marks hanging over her head. If found guilty, orange overalls for you Nosiviwe. And by the way innocent is not the same as not guilty. Just because a court returns a not guilty verdict, it could mean that there was insufficient evidence to return a guilty verdict. In Scotland a trial could have one of three outcomes – guilty, not guilty and not proven which says it all.
Ramaphosa should be more concerned about the serious allegations, any brand will be worried, her name didn’t just appear on a vacuum, on the balance of probabilities she just might have a case to answer.
Imagine commending and applauding someone for exercising exemplary integrity who firstly, attempted to interdict her arrest, secondly accepted her deployment to the position of Speaker knowing full well she has a questionable past and lastly, begs the court to not imprison her because the prisons she (parliament ) is duty bound to oversee are not fit for human habitation! Cyril and the ANC he leads hide behind processes and legal procedures and clearly do not place any value on upholding exemplary moral standards.
Well really??? If she respected Parliament at all why then did she as the MoD misuse and mislead it with personal trips for friends, to human trafficking other friends, then accept bribes from a defense contractors whose husband is a senior officer in the defense force. Again, hypocritical to the extreme.
Shame on you… shame.
I agree with the president. One Phalaphala is enough.
This encapsulates the problem with the ANC… they have no idea what integrity means! Applauded for resigning? They’re never apologetic for their corrupt and criminal actions, they’re only sorry that they were caught!
Zero accountability; zero integrity. When will the wide scale looting and corruption end? Unfortunately the elections are going to throw us into more turmoil, where smaller parties will turn into “King-makers” and the tail will end up wagging the dog. Things are going to get worse before they get better (if ever). Cry the beloved country!
You are absolutely correct. What a sad joke.
Typical ANC – reward corruption and criminality – make them heroes. I suppose CR has to do it because they are all in the same boat. Pat themselves of the bat for bucking a system that is odious, western, and capitalist laced with un African Roman Dutch law. She and her ilk must be imprisoned.
Typical move by CR. He has never condemned the actions of any ANC leader. When the health minister was caught with his fingers in the till, he congratulated him on a job well done.
When is he going to grow a pair and condemn the actions of his “comrades”. Clearly stealing from the state and the poor is not an issue in his eyes. This is the man who was going to clean up the state after JZ, who would not tolerate corruption. No wonder nothing has come from the millions of rands spent on the Zondo commission.
“No wonder nothing has come from the millions of rands spent on the Zondo commission.”
And the rest. It was over a billion zarlets. A billion rands worth of tranquiliser pills for a country overflowing with credulous fools.
Exactly 👏
It seems that the Prez’s comment on the matter says it all. We have different ethical outlooks on social behavior. It seems that (some) politicians have a completely different value system. Eish!
Why must he applaud her, we all know her 84 million rand so-call loan or give to Cuba, and what about the others in his cabinet for axample Paul Mashatile.
Getting applauded for your level of integrity by dollar couch guy is something of a left handed compliment.
you should have done the some during Phalaphal saga, then you will aslo been applauded.
Yea. Ramaposa brought in all that millions of dollars without declaring it and the master of threats Kieswetter overlooks it all. Then surely he was involved in the whole scam too. And yet he thinks he is the best. Shame on both of you.
Spot on!
Cyril should follow her exemplary resignation and offer his and his entire cabinet’s reesignation. Problem solved…
Pure spin, pre election – Virtuous ANC – how about calling on others that are implicated to step down? Nothing virtuous about her resignation. She was pushed to garner votes.
Yes President don’t worry we are all applauding.
i called this one in my comment on yesterday’s article.
Why don’t you give her a gold watch and a fancy retirement package for her bravery. Everyone else on the dark side gets rewarded.
Is this guy for real?! Is president Ramaphosa leaving on ou planet or coockoo land?! She had to resign or be marched to the police cells and court to be charged wit a few cases of FRAUD; MONEY LAUNDRING and maybe a few more. As per previous ANC parlamentarian fraudsters, don’t be surprised if she gets a embassadorian post if the ANC gets the majority 😉. This ANC government is like Alibaba and the fourth thieves 🙄
I would like to know why there is an Army Military Police vehicle in the escort convoy from Lytellton Police station. It is not an Army function.
What a low bar to set for our nation. Having said that, most politicians and the elite do set themselves a low bar. They control what is law and what isn’t. And we…as the society let them. We do or get suspected of wrongdoing in in our jobs, society etc., the negative impacts are immediate and severe. But no, they only have to step down and we must applaud them! Never mind that their incompetence and corruption has cost the economy and society severely. What fools they think we are. I guess they’re right in thinking that coz we vote them in again overlooking things we wouldn’t normally overlook
SUB-70 IQ, you follow?
Seriously?? She should be applauded for stealing from the people of the country? Never liked Ramaphosa, but this shows his completely lack of consideration for the country.
Applauded? Let us not forget: this is the same person that smuggled a woman, on a false passprt, into SA from another country using tax payers money (I would think that that escapade would have cost a Rmil or two). She must have transgressed a number of diplomatic protocols and laws in both countries. For that she got a fine of 3 months salary and a new post to the powerful position of speaker! Some punishment. Any other person would have been arrested and sent ot jail! Where were the Police and NPA in that saga??
Applauded? Let us not forget: this is the same person that smuggled a woman, on a false passprt, into SA from another country using tax payers money (I would think that that escapade would have cost a Rmil or two). She must have transgressed a number of diplomatic protocols and laws in both countries. For that she got a fine of 3 months salary and a new post to the powerful position of speaker! Some punishment. Any other person would have been arrested and sent ot jail! Where were the Police and NPA in that saga??
“In her resignation, Comrade Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula highlighted her intention to protect the reputation of our organisation, the African National Congress, after dedicating more than 30 years of service.” Reputation….ss it still the morning of the 1st of April?
She should be thrown in prison to rot with Ramaphosa. They robbing us blind. The poor are suffering even more because of their corruption.
Bob F April 5th 2024 at 13-40
Applaud her ? Why did you not just not fire her, Ramaphosa? You could have reinstated her if, after due process in court, she was found to be not guilty on all counts for which she was.
c
Do we also applaud the corruption charges?
Applauded??? What an idiot!!! How low this country has sunk under the vile anc that someone who has clearly violated her oath of office and been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, must be applauded for “resigning”. Well I suppose if you compare her to the other multitude of despicable anc thieves like Bathabile, Haudi etc. this is earth-shattering. However her “resignation” has nothing to do with contriteness but everything to do with sparing huge embarrassment to her hideous party just before elections, ensuring her pension remains intact and knowing that she will be pardoned, sooner or later, with medical parole of sorts and even recycled to become an ambassador. We have really reached the gutter.
Her integrity is questionable at best, with all the abuses she committed while Minister of Defence (some punished, some not) and for a world leader of the statue of Ramaphosa to applaud her ‘selfless’ action, raises questions about his level of integrity. No wonder we are ‘chommies’ with the likes of Putin, Hamas, al-Bashir, and all the other dregs that find themselves on the wrong side of right.
Shame, shame , shame on you….cry baby , cry … how can you NOW try and own up to accountability , when you first have to be responsible?
Squirrel say “Lets BLAH, BLAH again., come on people you’re an insult to mankind.
Dedication for 30 years is a disgrace, maybe you should go to jail for 15years.
“We value her commitment to maintaining the image of our organisation”
And she has maintained that image perfectly – arrested for fraud and corruption, which is literally the hallmark of the criminal enterprise masquerading as a government that you lead, oh spineless one…
These people’s mindset never failed to amuses
A depressing lot
This Minister is no different to the rest. Ramaphosa lauding her for her ‘ethics’ says more about him than it does about her.
Remove one hand from the cookie jar and another takes it place.
eh?
Mama Nosiviwe please stay strong, this moment shall pass: this prediction from the ANC Executive – an interesting and depressing prediction. What does he know that we don’t?
In a civilised society she would have resigned a long time ago!
That has to be the most bizarre comment Ramadonothing has ever made.
Not ANC, it’s MBG . . . Morally Bankrupt Garbage.
Dumb & Dumber
I wonder what his response will be if she is the first big wig to be found guilty (shocked again, eh Squirrel)? NPA clearly think they have a strong case.
Only in SA do we applaud politicians for doing the right things. This is because they so infrequently do the right thing.
Ambiguous!!! Praising theives for their guilty conscience. That shows we are not a normal society.