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The Gauteng High Court has postponed the corruption and money laundering trial of former defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula after she failed to appear in court on Thursday due to ill health.Mapisa-Nqakula was scheduled to continue her testimony on Thursday after proceedings were cut short on Wednesday when she fell ill in the witness stand.Though the former minister was absent, her legal team was present in court. Her lawyer Siyabulela Mapoma told the court Mapisa-Nqakula was unable to testify and submitted a doctor’s note to confirm her condition.Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering stemming from her tenure as defence minister between 2016 and 2019. She allegedly solicited R4.5m in bribes, R2.1m of which was reportedly paid in cash, from South African National Defence Force logistics contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to secure and maintain government tenders. Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu serves as the state’s key witness regarding the alleged gratification.The matter has been postponed to September 16 for further hearing.TimesLIVE
