PRETORIA – Former South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has asked the Pretoria High Court for the bank records of Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the businesswoman accused of paying her bribes in exchange for defence contracts.
Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering, linked to alleged kickbacks of over R4.5 million received between 2016 and 2019 from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s company, Umkhombe Marine, which contracts with the South African National Defence Force.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is listed as a section 204 witness, potentially granting her immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony. Her separate corruption case was previously removed from the court roll due to repeated delays.
Lawyers for Mapisa-Nqakula have requested full details of why Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s case was dropped and access to her financial records. The move is intended to assist Mapisa-Nqakula’s defence as her attorneys consult on the state-provided docket.
The case returned to the High Court on Monday, with Mapisa-Nqakula’s R50,000 bail extended to cover her next appearance. Henry Mamothame, spokesperson for the NPA’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, confirmed the postponement allows the defence time to consider filing representations with the National Director of Public Prosecutions.
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