Court hears of Mapisa-Nqakula’s R1.7m house renovation spree

Former defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula made cash payments totaling roughly R1.7m for extensive renovations to her home in Bruma, Johannesburg, using money she receieved from bribes, the state has alleged.

Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering involving approximately R4.5m in cash bribes and benefits allegedly solicited between 2016 and 2019 from South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu of Umkhombe Marine.

Out of the total bribe money, Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly received roughly R2.1m in cash, which the state alleges helped fund the home renovations. She is further accused of demanding a R2m bribe to secure a promotion for Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s husband, Maj-Gen Noel Ndhlovu.

Ndhlovu is a former SANDF deputy surgeon-general.

Testifying at the Pretoria high court yesterday, interior decorator Nomsa Shabangu and architectural draftsman Azwinndini Mulaudzi detailed the work done at the Bruma residence.

Shabangu testified that she has known Mapisa-Nqakula since 2004 when she was introduced to her by deceased former Mpumalanga MEC Steve Mabona. Describing Mapisa-Nqakula as being “like a sister” to her, Shabangu said she was tasked with overseeing the renovations, interior design, purchasing building materials, and paying contractors at Mapisa-Nqakula’s instruction.

While the original estimate was R352,000 for materials and R115,000 for labour, escalating scope pushed the total costs for materials and labour to about R1.1m.

Shabangu also supplied an additional R600,000 worth of furniture and custom curtains through her furniture store, bringing the total renovation costs to R1.7m between 2018 and 2020.

Shabangu confirmed that all payments were made in cash, noting that this was standard practice for Mapisa-Nqakula dating back to 2004 because she did not know how to make Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs). She testified that these cash handovers took place in private, conducted either by Mapisa-Nqakula herself, her husband Charles Nqakula, or the couple together.

Of the R600,000 owed for decor, Shabangu said she received R400,000 in installments between 2018 and 2020, with the final payment occurring in 2022. The remaining R200,000 balance for curtains was never settled.

Shabangu stated that she did not press Mapisa-Nqakula for the money due to their close relationship, noting she had promised to settle the debt using her pension upon retiring in 2024. He still has not paid her even today.

Mulaudzi testified that Shabangu introduced him to the Nqakulas in February 2018 to draft alterations for the Bruma house, submitting a quotation for R69,682 on February 10 2018.

He said he received an initial R20,000 cash payment through Shabangu, which she confirmed came directly from Mapisa-Nqakula, and later received a R50,000 cash payment directly from the Nqakulas in a private meeting. While his plans were partially implemented, Mulaudzi stated he was never paid for subsequent plan modifications.

Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu previously testified that Mapisa-Nqakula frequently complained about expensive home renovation costs while soliciting bribe payments from her.

Mapisa-Nqakula has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Cross-examination of Shabangu is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day attorney Zola Majavu refused to testify in the case, citing attorney-client privilege.

He told the court the state had put him in an “uncomfortable position” by calling him to testify against a person who was his former client.

Though the state argued that it could limit its questioning to topics Majavu felt comfortable answering, he maintained his refusal. The court subsequently granted his request to be excused from testifying.

Majavu has previously represented the former minister in a separate case and has acted as a legal advisor for Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.