Magistrate Anna Oosthuizen, presiding over the matter involving the former Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has granted her R50 000 bail.

Mapisa-Nqakula who faces a schedule five offence made her first appearance at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court after handing herself over this morning at the Lyttelton Police Station. This follows allegations of R2.3 million in bribes and gratifications from a fraud-accused businesswoman who reportedly received R210 million in defence contracts. The state said that Mapisa-Nqakula will be facing her crimes with another accused and they will be ordered to hand themselves over.

Mapisa-Nqakula is facing an array of charges including corruption, emanating from an investigation into her dealings when she was South Africa's Defence Minister.The court heard that Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption under Preca (Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act) and one of money laundering under Poca (Prevention of Organised Crime Act).

"It is common cause that the charges fall within Schedule 5 of the Criminal Procedure Act and the onus is on the applicant to satisfy this court by adducing evidence that the interest of justice permit her release on bail," said the state.

The state added that Mapisa-Nqakula's bribes funded renovations to her posh home in Johannesburg. The court also heard that a brown bear skin with claws was alleged to have been brought into the Republic of South Africa illegally by her, however, Mapisa-Nqakula said the police never found it during the search at her house.

The lead prosecutor, advocate Bheki Manyathi, indicated that they would not be opposing bail until the" defence's case is heard.

"I am required by law to place on record why the prosecution would not be opposing bail but the onus is on the applicant (Mapisa-Nqakula) to satisfy this court," the prosecutor stated.

An affidavit read out by Mapisa-Nqakula's defence, advocate Graham Kerr-Phillips, indicated that she was not a flight risk and there's no reason for her to be detained and not granted bail.

"I need to place it on record that my client suffers from "dangerous hypertension" that requires constant medication and this needs to be given serious consideration in deciding on bail." The affidavit further added that she won't risk losing her pension fund by evading trial and that voluntarily coming to court should count for something.

"The state's failure to recover two designer handbags allegedly linked to the corruption case against me as well as a bear skin whose relevance remains unclear demonstrates that it does not have a strong case against me," said advocate Kerr-Phillips as he read the affidavit, adding that Mapisa-Nqakula said the wig that the state seized from her home was one of "many" that she has and questions why this particular wig was taken.

She agreed to adhere to her bail conditions, which include handing over her passport and not applying for a new one. She will be back in court on 4 June.