THE sacked deputy speaker of the Mpumalanga Legislature, Cynthia Maropeng, on Friday pleaded not guilty in the Nelspruit Regional Court on 36 charges of theft totalling R1,7-million, SABC radio news reports. Maropeng appeared with Wilson Ngwenya, Nicholas Siboza, and Alfred Mahlangu. All four, who were later released on bail, were executives of the Mpumalanga legislature, where they allegedly stole the money. The case was postponed to September 6.