United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa told the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday that Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence appeared more interested in discovering who had informed him about alleged bribery involving former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula than investigating the claims themselves.
Holomisa was the State’s first witness as Mapisa-Nqakula’s long-awaited corruption trial commenced, almost two years after she surrendered to authorities.
The former National Assembly Speaker has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that while serving as Minister of Defence, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited R4.5 million in bribes from a defence contractor.
According to Holomisa, he was the first person to formally alert Parliament to the allegations after being approached by the State’s key witness, Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.
At the time, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu was the sole director of Umkhombe Marine (Pty) Ltd, a company contracted by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to provide logistics services.
Giving evidence, Holomisa said he expected Parliament to investigate the allegations but was instead met with questions about the identity of his source.
He testified that the accusations were far too serious to ignore and that he believed he had a responsibility to place them before Parliament’s oversight committee.
On 26 March 2021, Holomisa wrote to the committee under the subject line: “Serious questions around the allegation of R5 million in dubious payments made by a SANDF contractor against Minister Mapisa-Nqakula.”
Rather than acting on the information, committee members advised him that if he believed a crime had been committed, he should report the matter to the police.
Holomisa said his first interaction with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu took place in December 2020 when she arrived visibly distressed and claimed she had been forced to make payments to Mapisa-Nqakula.
He testified that she told him she possessed evidence to support her allegations.
“She told me her heart is sore and that she felt she has been used, or perhaps even robbed,” Holomisa said.
The two met on approximately three occasions, during which Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu handed over supporting documents, including WhatsApp messages exchanged with a contact saved as “Mama”, whom Holomisa understood to be Mapisa-Nqakula.
Holomisa said his decision to approach the Joint Standing Committee on Defence stemmed from his belief that Parliament had a constitutional duty to investigate allegations of corruption involving a cabinet minister.
He added that the committee was, at the time, made up entirely of ANC members.
It was only after Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s legal representatives appeared before Parliament that the seriousness of the allegations appeared to be recognised, Holomisa testified.
Frustrated by what he regarded as Parliament’s inaction, Holomisa said he wrote three separate letters before eventually submitting an affidavit to the police, setting the criminal investigation in motion.
He also stressed that he held no personal animosity towards Mapisa-Nqakula or her husband, former safety and security minister Charles Nqakula.
Holomisa said they had known each other for many years, that he had visited their home on several occasions, and that they continued greeting each other cordially even after the allegations became public.
The State alleges that in or about November 2016, Mapisa-Nqakula instructed the late Secretary for Defence, Dr Sam Gulube, to ask Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu for R300,000.
A few days later, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu allegedly handed the cash to Gulube.
Prosecutors further claim that Gulube later approached her again on the accused’s behalf, this time requesting an additional R400,000.
Instead of paying the second amount, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu allegedly requested a meeting with Mapisa-Nqakula.
According to the indictment, Nozuko arranged for the two women to meet at the InterContinental Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport in December 2016.
During that meeting, the State alleges, Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed that she had instructed Gulube to seek both payments.
The prosecution further alleges that although Mapisa-Nqakula requested a total of R4.55 million, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu ultimately paid her R2.15 million in cash.
Mapisa-Nqakula has denied all the allegations against her.
The trial is expected to continue on Thursday with Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu due to take the witness stand as the State’s next witness.