PRETORIA - A state witness has told the High Court in Pretoria that former Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her husband, Charles Nqakula, gave her between R1.7 million and R1.8 million to renovate and decorate their Johannesburg home. Shabangu, who describes Mapisa-Nqakula as being “like a sister”, has detailed how she managed the renovation of the former defence minister’s Johannesburg home. She told the court that while she oversaw the project and paid several service providers, some payments made in cash were made directly by Mapisa-Nqakula and her husband. Shabangu testified that she paid Mulaudzi a R20,000 cash deposit. He also told the court that the outstanding R50,000 was later paid in cash by Nosiviwe and Charles Nqakula in 2018.