The Gauteng high court has heard accounts about an alleged 2017 robbery in Spruitview as both the brother and husband of the state’s star witness, Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, delivered testimonies on Monday.
Sabelo Ntsondwa, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s brother, and former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deputy surgeon-general Noel Ndhlovu, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu’s husband, presented differing details about the events that transpired following the incident.
Ntsondwa’s sister, SANDF contractor Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, is the state’s key witness in the high-profile corruption and money-laundering case against former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu alleges that between 2016 and 2019, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited and accepted millions of rand in bribes from her to secure and protect lucrative military logistics contracts.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu was allegedly robbed at gunpoint while on her way to deliver a R200,000 cash bribe to Mapisa-Nqakula.
Taking the stand first on Monday, Ntsondwa testified that his sister asked him to accompany her to Fourways Mall to withdraw money. Using her Jeep, they drove to an FNB branch where she withdrew R200,000 in cash intended for the former minister.
Ntsondwa stated that his sister placed the package under the front passenger seat. He described the bundle as roughly 50cm long and 10cm thick, wrapped in a bank bag and secured with an orange elastic band. While he did not look inside, he knew it contained cash.
Following the initial withdrawal, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu stopped at a garage ATM to withdraw an additional R12,000 while her brother stayed in the car. They then drove to Spruitview to purchase supplies.
Just after they parked, a white BMW X3 blocked their path. Two armed men exited the vehicle, approached the Jeep and demanded their belongings. Ntsondwa testified that his sister initially resisted, resulting in an altercation. The assailants eventually stole her handbag — containing the R12,000 ATM withdrawal — both their phones and her car keys.
However, the robbers missed the hidden bundle containing the R200,000 beneath the passenger seat. After struggling to start the Jeep and noticing a crowd gathering, the gunmen fled in their getaway car. Ntsondwa noted that a local street vendor witnessed the entire assault.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu borrowed the vendor’s phone to call the police and her husband. Ntsondwa testified that he was traumatised by the event. He recalled being driven home by his brother-in-law afterwards, though he could not remember whether his sister was in the vehicle with them or if the Jeep was towed.
Testifying after Ntsondwa, Noel Ndhlovu offered a version of events that conflicted with his brother-in-law’s testimony.
Ndhlovu stated he was first alerted to the incident by his wife’s ex-husband. Upon arriving at the scene, he found the Jeep, his wife, Ntsondwa and a crowd of community members.
He testified that because the robbers had taken the keys, a tow truck was called to transport the Jeep back to their home. Ndhlovu remembered his wife riding in his car, but could not recall whether Ntsondwa was with them or in the tow truck.
Ndhlovu added that his wife was visibly shaken and sustained a hand injury during the scuffle. She asked him to drive her to Mapisa-Nqakula’s house that evening. Despite trying to dissuade her, he agreed to drive her.
Upon arrival, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu entered the minister’s home alone, carrying a handbag, while Ndhlovu waited in the car. He noted that when she returned, she still had the bag with her. It was only months later, according to Ndhlovu, that his wife confessed that the purpose of the trip was to deliver bribe money demanded by the minister.
Ndhlovu claimed he was furious upon learning about the bribe and instructed his wife to stop the payments immediately, taking her at her word that she would do so. He insisted he was unaware how much money she had already paid Mapisa-Nqakula.
Ndhlovu was also questioned about a February 2019 incident in which his VIP protector, Thabiso Mthinya, drove Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to the airport to deliver R300,000 cash, allegedly hidden inside a wig, to Mapisa-Nqakula. Ndhlovu confirmed his protector drove her, but claimed he was unaware of the nature or purpose of the meeting.
Additionally, Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly solicited a R2m bribe from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to secure Ndhlovu’s promotion within the military. Ndhlovu denied knowing about this request at the time, though he acknowledged discussing his career ambitions with his wife.
Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu had previously testified that she refused to pay the R2m bribe because her husband was already fully qualified for the role.
In 2020, Ndhlovu was placed on precautionary suspension after the department of defence initiated litigation against his wife over allegations that she illegally secured over R100m in military contracts.
Ndhlovu testified that, prior to his suspension, he was the most qualified candidate to succeed Gen Solly Shoke as SANDF chief. Due to the pending investigation, his junior, Gen Rudzani Maphwanya, was ultimately appointed to the top post.
Under cross-examination, the court scrutinised the former general’s relationship with his wife’s business dealings. Ndhlovu denied ever participating in tender panels that awarded contracts to his wife, maintaining that they kept their professional lives strictly separate.
His cross-examination is set to continue on Tuesday.
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