Mapisa-Nqakula trial | Former SANDF Surgeon General says suspension was linked to wife’s legal dispute

Former SANDF Deputy Surgeon General, Dr. Noel Ndlovu, says he was placed on precautionary suspension over legal dispute involving his wife, military contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndlovu, despite having no involvement in the matter.

Ndlovu, who retired in August last year, testified that the Defense Department initiated litigation against his wife in October 2020, resulting in his precautionary leave.

He was testifying in former Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s, corruption trial at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

The court previously heard that Ndlovu was denied a promotion after his wife allegedly refused to pay Mapisa-Nqakula R2 million. Ndlovu told the court he knew nothing about the alleged incident.

The State alleges that between 2016 and 2019, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and received about R4.5 million in kickbacks from Ntsondwa-Ndlovu while serving as Defence Minister.

Ndlovu said his precautionary suspension was only lifted on 2 April 2024. He also handed the court two letters relating to the matter, including one signed by Surgeon General, Ntsavehni Pieter Maphaha.

He testified that his wife was due to receive five contracts from the Defence Department, although one was cancelled. Ndlovu said the first two contracts were awarded before he and his wife met and that he was never part of the panels involved in procuring the tenders.

Dr. Ndlovu further told the court that he first noticed suspicious financial transactions between his wife and Mapisa-Nqakula in 2019.

He said he once accompanied his wife to Mapisa-Nqakula’s home to deliver cash, but claimed he did not know the purpose of the visit at the time.

The testimony has raised questions about the timing of an armed robbery involving his brother-in-law, Sabelo Ntsondwa.

Sabelo previously testified that the robbery happened in July 2017, while Dr Ndlovu told the court that he remembers it happening in 2019.

Ndlovu says it was around this time that he first noticed suspicious financial exchanges between his wife and the former Defence Minister.

Dr. Ndlovu however, corroborated his wife’s and brother-in-law’s account that the siblings were together during the incident.

He said Ntsondwa-Ndlovu called him shortly after the robbery and that he drove to fetch her in Vosloorus, near Spruitview,  where Sabelo said the incident occurred.

Ndlovu testified that the grey Jeep Wrangler his wife had been driving was towed away after the robbers allegedly fled with its keys.

He said that shortly after they arrived home, Ntsondwa-Ndlovu recieved a call from Mapisa-Nqakula. He was then asked to accompany his wife to the former minister’s home to deliver cash.

Ndlovu said his wife was carrying a handbag but only explained the purpose of the visit months later, leaving him furious.

– Sabelo’s version –

Sabelo, who testified earlier on Monday, told the court that R200 000 allegedly intended for Mapisa-Nqakula was hidden inside the Jeep Wrangler during the robbery.

He said he and his sister were accosted by armed men in Spruitview, shortly after leaving the First National Bank (FNB) at Fourways Mall where she withdrew R12 000.

According to Sabelo, the suspects forced them out of the Jeep and took the R12 000, their cellphones and vehicle keys, but failed to find the additional R200 000 hidden under one of the seats.

Sabelo also testified that his sister later went to Mapisa-Nqakula’s home with her husband to deliver the money.

The contradictions emerging in the three State witness’s testimonies has been described in court as the “Great Wall of China”, suggesting that significant events surrounding Ntsondwa-Ndlovu may have been unknown to Dr Ndlovu at the time.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao