Parliament has appointed Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli as Acting Speaker after Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula took special leave following an investigation into allegations of corruption.
The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, is expected to set a date to hear Mapisa-Nqakula's application in which she has sought to interdict her pending arrest related to the allegations.
The controversy surrounding the allegations is becoming a public relations disaster for the ANC as it campaigns ahead of the May 29 elections.
Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of receiving bribes amounting to R2.3 million from a service provider in the Department of Defence when she was then minister of defence.
Her home was searched by the Hawks on behalf of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate (ID) last Tuesday.
Through her office, Mapisa-Nqkula has declared her innocence and said she will co-operate with any formal investigation.
The NPA on Sunday confirmed that the application would be in court on Monday.
“She is seeking an order interdicting NPA’s ID from arresting her. The NPA’s ID will oppose the application as we believe it is baseless and has no merit,” said NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga.
Parliament on Sunday issued a statement, confirming that Tsenoli will be acting in her position.
“According to the Rules of the National Assembly, specifically rule 24 – in the event of the Speaker’s absence, inability to perform her duties or vacancy in the office, the Deputy Speaker is required to assume the role of acting speaker.
“In light of this, Lechesa Tsenoli, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, will serve as the acting speaker during the Speaker’s leave. He will assume all functions, powers and responsibilities vested in the Speaker,” said Parliament.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, while campaigning in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, said Mapisa-Nqakula had indicated that she was co-operating with law enforcement agencies but there were already processes under way and there was no turning back.
“As I have always said, we have processes, we have institutions, we have well-geared and independent institutions and in the end we must rely on those institutions to do their work. When we give them space and the opportunity to do their work then we will be successful.”
He said from a governance point of view Mapisa-Nqakula was on special leave but the process was continuing.
Opposition parties have called on Mapisa-Nqakula to resign. DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said the party had repeatedly called for the Speaker to resign “as it is simply not fitting for the head of the national legislature to be facing allegations of corruption and a possible imminent arrest following a raid at her house this week”.
“The announcement that she has taken ‘special leave’, not resigned has left us with no choice but to submit a formal motion of no confidence to be debated and voted on before the House rises and the expiration of this term.”
The EFF said reports that Mapisa-Nqakula solicited bribes from a defence contractor during her tenure as defence minister shows blatant disregard for ethical conduct and the rule of law.
The IFP’s chief whip in the National Assembly Narend Singh welcomed the decision by Mapisa-Nqakula to take special leave amid the corruption investigation.
Singh said she did the honourable thing to step aside while the investigation was under way.
The GOOD Party’s Brett Herron said it was in the interest of the country for Mapisa-Nqakula to resign.
“This special leave is nonsense, it doesn’t exist. And it’s really in the hands, legally, of the ANC and the Speaker's sense of integrity. I think it requires her to resign, rather than have a motion of no confidence to remove her.”
The Mercury