Mapisa-Nqakula's former spokesperson testified in court today

Former Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's former spokesperson has told the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that she was following instructions from the department's then Secretary for Defence, Dr Sam Galube, when she helped Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu to try and stop a Sunday Times story about her.

Joy Peter says Galube told her that Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu needed to be protected because the matter could bring the Defence Department into disrepute.

Peter says she and Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu subsequently became close, and she later helped to facilitate a live television interview in which the businesswoman publicly raised concerns about her dealings with Mapisa-Nqakula.

Asked about where her loyalties lay, Peter told the court that as the minister's spokesperson, Mapisa-Nqakula should have been her priority, but she was simply carrying out Galube's instructions.

Mapisa-Nqakula has pleaded not guilty to charges that she solicited and accepted about R4.5 million from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.