By Johnathan Paoli
Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s legal team has intensified its challenge to the State’s corruption case, arguing that contradictions between the evidence of its key witness and that of the complainant undermine the prosecution’s version.
During cross-examination of defence contractor and businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu in the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday, advocate Siyabulela Mapoma focused on alleged discrepancies between her testimony and a letter written by Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa, who first brought the allegations to Parliament’s attention.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the State’s main witness, alleges that Mapisa-Nqakula solicited about R4.5 million in bribes between 2016 and 2019 while serving as Defence Minister.
She told the court that she eventually paid the former minister R2.15 million in cash.
Mapoma questioned why Holomisa’s letter referred to alleged bribes totalling R5 million, while Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu had consistently testified that the amount was R4.5 million.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu denied ever mentioning a
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