‘I’m harsh, not vicious’: Mapisa-Nqakula says she has never been a criminal - TimesLIVE

Former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has questioned in court why she would demand significant sums of cash from South African National Defence Force (SANDF) logistics contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

Mapisa-Nqakula appeared before the Pretoria high court on Monday, facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. The charges stem from her tenure as defence minister between 2016 and 2019, during which she allegedly solicited R4.5m in bribes, R2.1m of which was allegedly paid in cash, from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to secure and maintain government tenders.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the state’s key witness, previously testified about the alleged gratification, claiming code words such as impepho, indumba, snuff, padkos and wig were used to solicit money. Mapisa-Nqakula has pleaded not guilty to all charges, denying she ever requested or received money from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

When prosecutor Emile van der Merwe asked Mapisa-Nqakula why Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu would make such allegations, Mapisa-Nqakula replied that she did not know why the contractor would lie about her.

“I ask myself that if I received this much money from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, what is it that she would’ve received in return?” Mapisa-Nqakula said. “I don’t think I could just come to you and give you so much money only to discover that there’s nothing I’m expecting in return from you.”

I’m a human being and Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is a human being. I didn’t know you are able to be with someone and that person would change everything that brought you together. This is the truth I’m placing before this court

She told the court she had been asking herself that question since the trial began, emphasising that her version of events is the truth.

“Throughout this trial, that’s the question I ask myself. I’m a human being and Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is a human being. I didn’t know you are able to be with someone and that person would change everything that brought you together. This is the truth I’m placing before this court.”

Van der Merwe asked whether Mapisa-Nqakula had used any code words other than those presented in court to solicit money. She insisted she had not, adding that demanding such large sums would have been vicious and greedy, traits she denied possessing.

“I didn’t have codes with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu,” she said. “I don’t know, if this truly was a case of constantly taking money from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, what would’ve made me do such if indeed I had done such. That would’ve been vicious and greedy. I’m a harsh person, but I’m not a vicious person. I am not that which is described in Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s docket.”

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu previously testified to giving Mapisa-Nqakula R150,000 in cash after a request was made using the code word “impepho”. However, Mapisa-Nqakula admitted to receiving only actual impepho (a traditional African incense plant), not money.

“Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu probably had someone else she had codes with regarding money. To me, impepho meant impepho,” Mapisa-Nqakula testified.

When asked how much impepho she had received, she said it was a single, round-shaped bundle. She noted that she used it at home in bits and pieces, not exclusively for traditional healing practices.

Criminals are criminals. I don’t know the criminals’ language,. These are allegations against me. I’m here facing charges. I don’t know why the reference is about me being associated with criminals, even if one is making an example

Van der Merwe then posed a hypothetical scenario, asking whether two criminals discussing a crime over a recorded phone line or WhatsApp would use explicit words to commit the crime.

Mapisa-Nqakula replied that she did not know because she had “never been a criminal” and had “never had codes in relation to criminal activities”.

“Criminals are criminals. I don’t know the criminals’ language,” she said. “These are allegations against me. I’m here facing charges. I don’t know why the reference is about me being associated with criminals, even if one is making an example.”

Van der Merwe asked what she would do if she asked her husband to buy bread and milk and he returned with R50 instead. Mapisa-Nqakula said she would simply take the money and ask an available child to go buy what was needed.

Pressing further, Van der Merwe asked what she would have done if Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu had come to her house to give her R150,000, as alleged. Mapisa-Nqakula maintained that she would have told the contractor to keep her money.

“In all 12 counts, I have not been given money by Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu. I didn’t give back her money because she never brought money to my house,” she said. “I don’t have terms like snuff or impepho in reference to money with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.”