JOHANNESBURG – Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the former parliamentary speaker facing corruption charges, has claimed her legal troubles with the state began after she initiated an inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa's actions in the Phala Phala scandal. In a court affidavit, Mapisa-Nqakula stated, “By choosing to establish a parliamentary inquiry into the Phala Phala issue, I made political enemies.�

�� She emphasized that her decision was guided by the rule of law and was made without fear or favour, including opting for a public vote on matters concerning Ramaphosa. As the Speaker of the National Assembly during the sixth democratic parliament, she was instrumental in setting up a Section 89 panel to investigate allegations surrounding a break-in at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo game farm, Phala Phala. The panel concluded that Ramaphosa’s conduct potentially violated the Constitution and amounted to misconduct. However, despite the damning findings, the ANC used its parliamentary majority to reject the report and block further impeachment proceedings against the president.

Mapisa-Nqakula’s claims against Ramaphosa were included in a recent court application, where she sought further disclosure of details related to her corruption charges. She is currently facing 12 charges of corruption and one count of money laundering in the Pretoria High Court. The allegations stem from her tenure as Defence Minister, during which she is accused of receiving R4.5 million in kickbacks from a defence contractor.