National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's bid to evade arrest has been struck off the roll with costsby the High Court in Pretoria. In an urgent application almost two weeks ago, the Speaker turned to the court to prevent her arrest and to challenge how a search and seizure warrant was obtained and how the operation was conducted.
URGENT FOR WHO?
Mapisa-Nqakula also sought an order compelling the state to disclose the evidence against her. "I am a senior person and the respondents rushing me into a police cell for reasons other than that I am a flight risk, is a threat to my health and life. I am innocent of the charges sought to be levelled against me," she said in court papers. The Speaker who has since taken special leave from her position, is accused of soliciting a R2.3 million bribe from a contractor during her tenure as Minister of Defence. In her ruling, Judge Sulet Potterill said the matter was not urgent and the court could not speculate on an arrest that was yet to happen." Accordingly, the application is struck off the roll. The applicant is to pay the costs, including the costs of two counsels," Potterill said.
IT'S POURING
Last month, the National Prosecuting Authority conducted a raid at Mapisa-Nqakula's Johannesburg home in search of evidence related to alleged corruption. She said at the time that investigators entered her home without her consent and they hoped to find lump sums of money. "It became evident that the search party was looking for cash money, citing as example 'R20 000 in cash'. We have never kept that sort of money in our home and on their request to see our safe, we opened an old standing strongroom in the lower part of our house, which we last used in about 2004 for them to inspect. They also asked whether we were in possession of any foreign currency, which we said we were, given our return at the weekend from abroad and they counted out the grand total of US$23.00 in our possession." A week ago, a debate of motion of no confidence against embattled Speaker was given the green light by acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli acceded to the DA's request. The DA said the Speaker must resign or be removed through a motion of no confidence and anything less than that will be a mockery of Parliament and more importantly, South Africa.
