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EFF calls for immediate action against Speaker of Parliament amid bribery scandal: Demands for accountability and transparency

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for the immediate removal and legal action against Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the current Speaker of Parliament, following allegations of her involvement in a bribery scandal.

Reports suggest that she received bribes totaling more than R2.3 million while serving as Minister of Defence.

EFF Spokesperson Sinawo Thambo stated on Monday that an affidavit submitted to the Investigative Directorate by the owner of IJmkhombe Marine implicated Mapisa-Nqakula.

The document alleges that between 2016 and 2019, she demanded and accepted cash bribes from the company, which had secured SANDF tenders worth R210 million in 2019.

Thambo expressed outrage over the accusations, emphasizing that such behaviour undermines democracy and should not be tolerated. He also pointed out that the ongoing six-month investigation by the ID underscores the seriousness of the allegations but raised concerns about the secrecy of the probe.

The EFF spokesperson accused the ANC of systemic corruption, suggesting that it extends from President Ramaphosa down through the ranks, including the Speaker.

Thambo questioned the integrity of leadership and suggested that Ramaphosa’s ignorance of the situation is either a sign of incompetence or a deliberate strategy to maintain control.

According to the EFF, Mapisa-Nqakula’s role as Speaker was used to shield Ramaphosa and his allies from scrutiny, particularly regarding the Phala Phala controversy.

With the end of the 6th Parliament approaching, the EFF sees the exposure of these allegations as a political move to discard Mapisa-Nqakula now that she is no longer useful to those in power.

The EFF plans to report Mapisa-Nqakula to the Parliamentary Ethics Committee and insists on her accountability for accepting bribes. They also vow to oversee the committee’s actions, suspecting the ANC uses it for internal political battles.

Thambo calls on South Africans to recognise the ANC’s failure to govern effectively and to vote for change in the upcoming 2024 elections, citing the crisis at ESKOM as an example of the government’s mismanagement.

 

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