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The entitlement of our corruption-accused public servants is only eclipsed by their ineptness at covering their alleged crimes.

The latest bid to get taxpayers to pay for a crime committed against them sees Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula wanting the Department of Defence to provide her with legal representation for her upcoming corruption trial.

Mapisa-Nqakula has been charged with 12 counts of corruption and money laundering for allegedly receiving kickbacks related to tenders awarded by the department during her tenure as the Defence Minister. This represents Jedi-level blerrie cheek.

The state is out to prove that while she served as defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and received R2.3 million in bribes and gratifications from fraud-accused businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who was reportedly “gifted” R210 million in defence contracts – and has now turned State witness about that alleged corruption.

The former Speaker resigned hours before she was due to appear in court earlier this month on charges of money laundering. At the time, President Rhamaphosa said Mapisa-Nqakula ‘should be applauded’ for resigning from her position. We suppose a slow clap is better than carrying her on shoulders into court, as the ANC did with Tony Yengeni when he was paraded into Pollsmoor for fraud.

Mapisa-Nqakula has slammed the case against her as “paper thin”, which is not the same as denying it outright.

The request for funding of her corruption trial is also being ‘investigated’ as it seems that proper procedure was not followed, with her replacement, current Defence Minister Thandi Modise, reportedly ‘angered’ by officials who have set the ball rolling without consulting her first.

It emerged that Mapisa-Nqakula sent a request for legal representation to the head of legal services in the SANDF Major General Eric Mnisi. Mnisi appears to have gone ahead in agreeing to the request without consulting the minister or the secretary of defence – Thobekile Gamede – who is the department’s accounting officer.

“General Mnisi’s handling of the matter without following existing protocols is tantamount to disrespect of executive authority in the Department of Defence. The minister instructed the Secretary of Defence Dr Gamede to look into General Mnisi’s handling of the matter from an administrative and process point of view as there are protocols that must be followed for such requests.”

Modise says she will be the one to consider Mapisa-Nqakula’s request, taking the law and public finances into consideration.

It may be time to consider establishing a ministry to oversee public servants’ legal issues. It could perhaps be called the Ministry of Getting-Cadres-Free, and considering the president’s track record with appointments, he would likely appoint John Hlophe as minister.

But to be fair, the corruption-accused Speaker (ex) has not been found guilty, and does deserve a fair trial, so let’s make a deal: Taxpayers will fund her legal expenses, but if she is found guilty, she gets a minimum sentence of 25 years and all her assets get liquidated – with the funds going towards new boots for the troops.

That’s something we can all applaud.

[source:ewn]