South Africa's Former Defence Minister Testifies on R300,000 Bribery Claim

The trial tests whether South Africa's anti-corruption institutions can secure a conviction against a senior ANC official whose case has been pending since 2023.

Former South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula took the stand on Tuesday in her corruption trial, offering testimony that directly contradicts the account given by the State's key witness regarding a handover at an airport, according to Daily Maverick.

The central dispute concerns what was exchanged at the airport meeting. The State's witness has testified that R300,000 in cash was delivered to Mapisa-Nqakula, placed underneath a wig. Mapisa-Nqakula acknowledged in court that she had requested a wig and followed up twice to inquire about its delivery, but denied that any cash accompanied it, according to Daily Maverick.

Mapisa-Nqakula served as South Africa's Minister of Defence and Military Veterans from 2009 to 2021 and later as Speaker of the National Assembly until her resignation in 2023. She was the third most senior official in the South African government at the time of her resignation, according to the South African Parliament's public records.

Her arrest in May 2023 followed an investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, South Africa's specialized anti-corruption and organized crime unit operating under the South African Police Service. The charges relate to allegations that she solicited and accepted bribes from a defence contractor while she held ministerial office, according to previously reported court records cited by Daily Maverick.

The bribery allegations involve payments said to have been made by a company seeking contracts with the South African National Defence Force. The total amount alleged in the indictment has been reported by South African media as exceeding R2 million across multiple transactions, though the airport exchange is the specific incident addressed in Tuesday's testimony.

The wig detail has become the focal point of the evidentiary dispute because it is the element both sides agree upon in part. Mapisa-Nqakula's admission that she requested the wig and followed up on it twice gives the State a basis to argue the meeting and exchange were pre-arranged, while her account frames the wig as the sole item received.

The credibility of the State's witness is a central variable in the outcome. In South African criminal procedure, a single witness's testimony can be sufficient for conviction if the court finds it credible and reliable beyond a reasonable doubt, under Section 208 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977. However, courts apply particular scrutiny to accomplice testimony, which can affect the weight given to statements from individuals who may themselves have participated in the alleged conduct.

Mapisa-Nqakula is being tried in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, a dedicated tribunal established by the South African government to handle complex financial and corruption cases more efficiently than general criminal courts. The Specialised Commercial Crimes Courts were established under the National Prosecuting Authority and have jurisdiction over cases involving fraud, corruption, and related offences.

South Africa's ruling African National Congress has faced sustained pressure from domestic civil society organizations and international bodies over corruption prosecutions involving senior party members. The National Prosecuting Authority has pursued a number of high-profile cases in recent years, including the ongoing legal proceedings related to former President Jacob Zuma, as a condition of compliance with recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force, which in 2023 grey-listed South Africa for deficiencies in its anti-money laundering framework.

The trial is ongoing. The court has not indicated a timeline for a verdict. What would determine the outcome, absent further witnesses, is the judge's assessment of credibility between Mapisa-Nqakula's testimony and that of the State's witness regarding the airport handover.