(Ecofin Agency) - South Africa's Parliament Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has announced her resignation in the wake of a corruption scandal. The announcement, made on April 3, comes as the ANC faces a critical test in the upcoming elections, with its reputation tarnished by a series of corruption scandals.

Mapisa-Nqakula, a member of the ANC and former Defense Minister from 2012 to 2021, is under scrutiny for allegedly accepting bribes totaling 2.3 million rands from a military contractor during her tenure in government. She potentially faces 12 charges of corruption for soliciting bribes amounting to a total of 4.5 million rands.

In her statement, Mapisa-Nqakula expressed her decision to step down to fully dedicate herself to the ongoing investigation against her. “I believe that, at the right time, I will have the opportunity to thoroughly address these allegations as and when they have been formally brought against me in the appropriate forums, at which time I will clear my good name," she said, affirming her innocence and determination to restore her good reputation.

This latest scandal hits the ANC at a time when it is already reeling from allegations of corruption involving senior party officials, including the legal troubles of former president Jacob Zuma and the recent impeachment scare faced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the "Phala-Phala" financial misconduct case. With the May 29 elections looming, the Mandela-led party confronts the possibility of securing less than 50% of the national vote for the first time in its history, reflecting a trend seen in recent municipal and local elections, as noted by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in a January 2024 publication.