Corruption-accused Mapisa-Nqakula says she should be presumed innocent until proven guilty
Her resignation on Wednesday has been welcomed by opposition parties in Parliament in light of her recent brushes with the law over alleged tender corruption when she was the defence minister.
Picture: GCIS
CAPE TOWN - Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula says she should be presumed innocent of the corruption charges she’s facing until proven guilty.
Her resignation on Wednesday has been welcomed by opposition parties in Parliament in light of her recent brushes with the law over alleged tender corruption when she was the defence minister.
It's the first time in the country’s 30-year democracy that a National Assembly Speaker quits Parliament.
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It's not the way Mapisa-Nqakula would have liked to exit a long political career.
She entered Parliament as a backbencher in 1994, going on to serve as a committee chairperson and a party whip before being elevated to her first ministerial post under President Thabo Mbeki.
In her resignation statement, Mapisa-Nqakula said given the public trust placed in a National Assembly Speaker, and to protect the image of the African National Congress, she was obligated to step down, even though she deserved to be deemed innocent.
She said it was her responsibility to protect and preserve the integrity of Parliament by ensuring her actions did not blemish its work.
Although the sixth Parliament has concluded most of its business ahead of the elections, Parliament remains a competent body until 21 May.
The ANC said Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli would continue to act as Speaker.
Both he and Mapisa-Nqakula are not expected to return to public office after the next polls.