President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended former Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for her decision to resign to protect the integrity of Parliament and the African National Congress (ANC).
Ramaphosa said Mapisa-Nqakula had indicated that she wanted to resign not because she was guilty but to protect the national legislature, the ruling party and the government.
He said they must applaud Mapisa-Nqakula for taking such a decision in the midst of the challenges she was facing.
She respects the rule of law and all legal processes that were unfolding in court, he said.
“The former speaker said she wants to resign. not so much because she is guilty,” said Ramaphosa.
“She is doing it to respect Parliament, the ANC and the government as a whole. We should recognise that her level of integrity for our democracy has made her do this. That should be commended and she should be applauded.”
Mapisa-Nqakula appeared in court a day after she resigned as a member of Parliament and speaker of the National Assembly.
She is accused of taking bribes amounting to R4.5 million from a service provider in the department of defence when she was minister.
But Mapisa-Nqakula has denied all the charges against her and declared her innocence.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID) conducted a search and seizure operation at her house in Johannesburg a few weeks ago where they confiscated some items.
However, she went to the high court in Pretoria to try and stop the ID from arresting her. But she lost the legal challenge in court.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
IOL Politics
