In an attempt to interdict her looming arrest, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula filed an urgent application against the State on Friday.
This has now been confirmed by her lawyer, Stephen May, who stated that they are awaiting communication from the State’s representatives regarding where they stand.
“Among the relief we’re asking for is an interim interdict on any arrests of my client, as well as disclosure of the State docket so we can analyse the case against her because every indication that we’ve had – and a large part of this, unfortunately, has come via the media – indicates that there simply is no case for my client to answer.”
This comes amidst some reports that Mapisa-Nqakula has supposedly turned herself in to authorities at the Pretoria central police station.
She is also expected to appear before the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court.
Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of corruption for allegedly accepting over R2 million in tender bribes from a contractor to the South African National Defence Force while serving as the minister of defence.
The Investigating Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority raided her Johannesburg home earlier this week.
Concurrently, the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) described the arrest of the country’s National Assembly speaker as an embarrassment.
“This is clearly one of the most high-profile positions in South Africa… it’s the head of the legislative arm of government…of the state…and this is highly embarrassing for the institution of Parliament and I think the fact that we have an election in two months’ time, doesn’t really have a bearing on this,” said CASAC’s Lawson Naidoo.
Political parties are now requesting that the speaker steps down and that a comprehensive investigation be conducted.
“It is clear that there’s no other way. The speaker has to step down in order to retain and sustain public trust in our Parliament,” said Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Parliamentary chief whip Siviwe Gwarube.
Pieter Groenewald, the leader of Freedom Front Plus, also stated earlier this week that the speaker has fallen short of being an example of integrity.
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