Johnathan Paoli
The Speaker for the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has officially resigned following calls for her impeachment in light of bribery allegations involving more than R4 million during her tenure as the Minister of Defence.
Mapisa-Nqakula said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that in light of the serious nature of the allegations leveled against her, she has no choice but to resign in order to preserve the sanctity of the office of Parliamentary Speaker.
“I have made this conscious decision in order to dedicate my time and focus to deal with the recently announced investigation against me by our country’s law enforcement agencies,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
The ANC veteran said that her resignation was in no way an admission of guilt regarding the allegations, but admitted that she could no longer continue in her role as speaker in light of the circumstances.
“The position of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa is critical in the reconstruction and development of our country,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
She said that in light of her role as the country’s central law-maker, she held the responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of Parliament by ensuring that her actions facilitated the sacred work of what must be done, without any blemishes.
Mapisa-Nqakula refrained from elaborating on the details of her arrest and possible criminal charges, but said that as a member of the ANC in good standing, she remained committed to the rule of law, including the notion of “innocent until proven guilty”.
Mapisa-Nqakula also said she will, at the right time, have an opportunity to address the allegations as and when they are formally brought against her at the appropriate forum “at which time I will clear my good name. I maintain my innocence and am determined to restore my good reputation,” she said.
She also wrote to the ANC leadership informing them of her decision while adding that she remains a loyal member of the organisation, she said.
The ANC confirmed in a statement that it has received Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation letter from Parliament and said it valued her commitment to maintaining the image of “our organisation as it reflects our principles of organisational renewal that promote proactive responsibility-taking among members rather than waiting for instructions to step-aside”.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s resignation comes at a time where opposition parties were baying for her impeachment as Speaker of Parliament and some have speculated that her resignation was an attempt to forestall the criminal consequences of her actions.
Her arrest remains uncertain with the National Prosecuting Agency remaining obtuse as to her status on a criminal level.
INSIDE POLITICS
