Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has no hope of receiving state funding for her corruption trial because, since 2021, government policy precludes corruption-accused officials from having their defence costs sponsored by taxpayers.
It is the State's case that while she served as defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and received R2.5 million in bribes and gratifications from fraud-accused businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who was reportedly "gifted" R210 million in defence contracts.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu has now turned State witness regarding that alleged corruption.