State maps out alleged contractor links as Mapisa-Nqakula pleads not guilty
· Citizen
Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula pleaded not guilty to multiple corruption-related charges as her trial commenced before the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday, 22 July 2026.
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Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and money laundering, with the state alleging that she solicited R4.55 million in bribes from South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu between December 2016 and July 2019.
The alleged offences date back to her tenure as minister of defence and military veterans, a position she held from June 2012 until August 2021.
The case was initiated after United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader and current Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa filed a criminal complaint.
Following her arrest in April 2024, Mapisa-Nqakula stepped down from her role in Parliament.
Mapisa-Nqakula corruption trial starts
During the opening day of proceedings, the court heard that Mapisa-Nqakula made certain admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).
She acknowledged that construction and upgrades had been carried out at her home while she was serving as minister.
However, she denied any wrongdoing, specifically rejecting claims that she solicited or accepted bribes from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.
After the not guilty plea, Advocate Paul Louw presented the state’s case, outlining the alleged flow of payments through a detailed PowerPoint presentation.
According to Louw, Mapisa-Nqakula made 12 separate cash requests after contracts were awarded to Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s company, Umkhombe Marine, which provided logistical services to the SANDF.
The court heard that these requests allegedly resulted in payments totalling R2.15 million.
A further R2.4 million in requested payments was never fulfilled.
Tender and payment requests timeline
The prosecution detailed the timeline of contracts awarded to Umkhombe Marine, beginning with a R1.5 million tender in 2013, a year after the company was established.
This was followed by a R24 million contract in 2016 and a third valued at R79 million in the same year.
“It doesn’t show on the timeline, but there was a tender of over R100 million.
“This tender, however, shortly after it was allocated to Umkhombe was withdrawn and replaced with the one that does appear on the timeline, which is the third tender of R79 million,” Louw said.
The state argued that the awarding of the third contract coincided with the first alleged request for payment.
The court heard that Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly requested R300 000 shortly after the third tender was awarded, followed by another request of R400 000 in the same period.
Additional requests included R200 000 in July 2017 and R150 000 in November 2017, followed by R250 000 in August 2018.
Seven more requests were allegedly made up until July 2019, including the largest single request of R2 million in September 2018.
During this period, Umkhombe Marine was awarded its fourth and final contract, valued at R105 million, in November 2018.
Use of coded language
The prosecution further alleged that initial payment requests were communicated through the late Sam Gulube, who served as the head of the department of defence.
Later requests were allegedly made directly to Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu via WhatsApp.
According to Louw, coded language was used in these communications, with terms such as “impepho, unethongo, wig, padkos, and snuff” allegedly serving as substitutes for cash.
The focus was on the six payment requests of R2 million, with the state indicating that Mapisa-Nqakula visited Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu at her home under the guise of having an “ancestral message” for her.
During that visit, it is alleged that she sought payment to “secure” the promotion of Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s husband, Noel Ndhlovu, as SANDF deputy surgeon general.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu declined the request, believing the promotion would occur regardless.
She instead allegedly handed over R150 000 to Mapisa-Nqakula.
Holomisa was the first witness to take the stand when the trial began.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is expected to testify on Thursday.
The businesswoman, in a Section 204 affidavit deposed in September 2023, previously stated that she had been coerced into participating in an extortion and bribery operation allegedly orchestrated by Mapisa-Nqakula.