Mapisa-Nqakula Corruption Trial Postponed Again After Former Minister Fails to Appear Due to Illness
The corruption trial of former Defence Minister and National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has faced further delays after she failed to appear in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday, 10 September 2026.
The proceedings were officially postponed to 16 September 2026.
While the court extended her bail, it also authorised a warrant of arrest, which will be held over until her next scheduled appearance.
Mapisa-Nqakula Corruption had been expected to return to the witness stand on Thursday morning to continue giving evidence.
However, the trial had already run into trouble the previous day when proceedings were abruptly halted after she visibly began struggling and fell ill on the stand.
Her legal team explained that the grueling trial, which has been underway since late July, had taken a heavy physical toll on the former minister.
Following Wednesday’s early adjournment, her representatives stated she was suffering from severe exhaustion.
When the court reconvened on Thursday morning, Mapisa-Nqakula’s dock remained empty.
Her defence lawyer, Siyabulela Mapoma, submitted a formal medical certificate to the court, confirming that she was receiving medical attention and was unfit to stand trial or continue her testimony.
Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering linked to her time as Defence Minister between 2016 and 2019.
The state alleges that she solicited approximately R4.5 million in bribes from prominent defence contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the director of Umkhombe Marine.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu has since turned state witness.
Mapisa-Nqakula has strongly denied all charges, pleading not guilty to the counts brought against her.
Before falling ill on Wednesday, she had been testifying about substantial renovations made to her private residence.
She told the court that the upgrades, which cost an estimated R1.8 million, were strictly necessary security measures implemented in response to several direct threats made against her life.
The state is expected to begin its cross-examination once Mapisa-Nqakula is deemed medically fit to return to the stand next week.
