Army general grilled in Mapisa-Nqakula trial

By Palesa Matlala

• Retired Major General Noel Ndhlovu says he told his wife to stop paying bribes after she admitted making payments to Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

• The court has heard that Ndhlovu lost the chance to become the South African National Defence Force’s top military doctor after his wife came under investigation.

The corruption trial of former Defence Minister and Parliament Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula returns to the Pretoria High Court this week with retired Major General Noel Ndhlovu back on the witness stand.

Ndhlovu is the husband of businesswoman and South African National Defence Force contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

She is the State’s main witness.

She claims Mapisa-Nqakula demanded and received R4.5-million in bribes from her between 2016 and 2019 while serving as Defence Minister.

Mapisa-Nqakula has denied all the allegations.

She faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.

On Tuesday, prosecutors are expected to question Ndhlovu about what he knew about the alleged bribe payments and when he became aware of them.

The retired general told the court that he only found out about the alleged payments in 2017.

He said he became angry after his wife confessed to paying money to the minister.

“I told her to stop immediately,” he testified.

According to Ndhlovu, his wife agreed.

But Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu later told the court she made several more payments after that conversation.

That contradiction is expected to become a major focus when cross-examination continues.

The court has also heard that the allegations affected Ndhlovu’s military career.

He testified that he was expected to become the South African National Defence Force’s Surgeon General after General Aubrey Sedibe retired.

Instead, he was suspended while his wife’s defence contracts were investigated.

When he returned to work in 2024, another officer had already been appointed to the position.

He retired a year later.

The court also heard about a meeting involving President Cyril Ramaphosa, former South African National Defence Force chief General Solly Shoke and Mapisa-Nqakula.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu claims the former minister supported her husband’s promotion, but General Shoke opposed it.

She further claims Mapisa-Nqakula later demanded R2-million to secure the appointment.

She said she refused to pay.

Ndhlovu has also denied influencing the awarding of defence contracts to his wife’s company.

He told the court they kept their work completely separate and described it as a “Great Wall of China” inside their marriage.

Judge Mashudu Munzhelele questioned whether the couple had declared their relationship because one was a senior military officer while the other held defence contracts.

Ndhlovu said they had declared the relationship and insisted he played no role in the awarding of her tenders.

The corruption trial continues.

Five things to know about this case:

• Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is charged with 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. She has pleaded not guilty.

• Businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu claims she paid the former minister R4.5-million in bribes between 2016 and 2019.

• Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu is the State’s main witness and has admitted making the payments, saying she is now cooperating with prosecutors.

• Her husband, retired Major General Noel Ndhlovu, says he only discovered the alleged payments in 2017 and told her to stop immediately.

• The State believes the payments were linked to defence contracts, while Mapisa-Nqakula denies asking for or receiving any bribes.

Pictured above: Former Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

Image source: File.