Witnesses in the trial of former South African defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula have described repeated cash handovers to the politician, characterizing the payments for multimillion-rand renovations as typical of money laundering.
Mapisa-Nqakula faces corruption and money-laundering charges in the ongoing proceedings.
The testimony comes as the South African Department of Defence has publicly attacked a 33-page financial report related to the case, labeling the document as flawed.
The ministry's rejection of the report adds a layer of institutional dispute to the legal proceedings, potentially complicating the prosecution's narrative regarding the source and nature of the funds.
The allegations center on significant renovation expenses paid to Mapisa-Nqakula, which witnesses claim were settled through informal cash transactions rather than transparent banking channels.
This method of payment is being cited by prosecutors as evidence of an attempt to obscure the financial trail, a hallmark of money-laundering operations.