Mapisa-Nqakula trial | Former minister disputes contractor’s ‘coded’ cash claims

Former Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has admitted asking defence contractor, Nombasa Ntshondwa-Ndlovu, for “imphepho”, but insists the traditional term had nothing to do with money.

Mapisa-Nqakula testified at the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, where she is being cross-examined in her corruption and money laundering trial.

She is accused of soliciting R4.5 million and receiving R2.1 million in cash bribes from Ntshondwa-Ndlovu between 2016 and 2019.

But the former minister has pushed back against the contractor’s version of events, particularly the claims that the pair used traditional healing terminology as a secret language for bribes.

Ntshondwa-Ndlovu previously testified that words including “imphepho”, “indumba”, “amayeza”, “padkos” and snuff were allegedly used as code words for money.

She further testified that Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly requested R400,000 through then-SANDF Secretary, Dr Sam Gulube.

The court also heard that Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly asked for “padkos” a day before a Defence Department spousal forum, before allegedly requesting a further R250,000 on the day of the event.

And then there is the alleged R2-million request, which Ntshondwa-Ndlovu testified Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly wanted, in exchange for assisting in securing the appointment of her husband as Sergeant General.

According to Ntshondwa-Ndlovu, her husband was never appointed, despite allegedly meeting the requirements for the position.

Ntshondwa-Ndlovu also testified that she refused to offer the R2 million.

Mapisa-Nqakula vehemently disputed this, saying Ntshondwa-Ndlovu’s husband simply did not qualify for the post.

The former minister has also offered a very different explanation for another disputed item in the case – a wig.

Mapisa-Nqakula told the court that Ntshondwa-Ndlovu offered to buy her a wig after she complimented the contractor’s hairstyle at the spousal forum.

She says she admired Ntshondwa-Ndlovu’s wig, calling it beautiful, and was subsequently offered one just like it in early 2019, after several WhatsApp exchanges between them about where it could be purchased.

Far from being a coded reference to cash, she says the conversations were simply about a wig she intended to buy with her own money.

Mapisa-Nqakula told the court she wanted it ahead of a trip to Ethiopia.

“What I recall is that I would have travelled to Ethiopia and I went as far as asking her “haven’t you yet found this wig?” I repeated my initial question as well: “Where can I get the wig from?” I was asking this, my lady, because in comparison to women in other countries, you would rarely find a woman walking around bald headed,” Mapisa-Nqakula explained.

The former minister also told the court that in most cases she remains bald since she lost her son.

But the State’s version of the “wig” story is very different.

During her testimony, Ntshondwa-Ndlovu told the court that she gave Mapisa-Nqakula a wig in 2019 with R300,000 allegedly concealed beneath it.

She further claimed that references to a “wig” in their WhatsApp conversations were actually coded discussions about money, an interpretation Mapisa-Nqakula rejects.

The former minister also testified about an alleged plea for help from Ntshondwa-Ndlovu in 2019, saying the contractor approached her claiming that military police were closing in on her.

At the time, the Defence Department was investigating Ntshondwa-Ndlovu over allegations that she had irregularly secured a tender.

Mapisa-Nqakula told the court that she later heard through the grapevine that Ntshondwa-Ndlovu had received assistance from then-SANDF spokesperson, Joy Nonzukiso Peter, and Dr Gulube.

The contractor also spoke to Y’s sister channel, eNCA, about the controversy surrounding the tender.

Mapisa-Nqakula testified that, after the interview, Ntshondwa-Ndlovu sent her a text message saying she hoped she had not “overstepped her boundaries” by speaking to the media, apparently wanting to know whether the former minister had heard about the interview.

But despite the appeal for intervention, Mapisa-Nqakula says there was little she could do.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao