Ngoepe Report final straw: ‘Dodging’ Bathabile Dlamini must go

8 May 2018

Retired Judge Bernard Ngoepe’s scathing report into former Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini’s, testimony during the Inquiry into her role in the 2017 social grants debacle, is proof that President Cyril Ramaphosa must fire Dodging Dlamini without delay.

Judge Ngoepe found that the Minister was evasive in her answering of questions and found that:

Dlamini simply would not answer some of the questions posed to her;

Unjustifiably answered ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t remember’ to important questions;

Answered questions with questions;

Gave long answers that did not relate to the question asked; and

At one stage the Judge “even questioned whether the interpreter had correctly conveyed a question‚ but he had no doubt that Dlamini had understood the question given her command of English”.

The Minister’s testimony was a clear display of her disdain and utter disrespect of Judge Ngoepe and the Constitutional Court’s authority.

It was under Dlamini’s watch that the livelihoods of 17 million South Africans were endangered and it was also under her watch that operations at the South African Social Security Agency completely deteriorated.

Minister Dlamini has time and again proven that she is incapable of governing a department and continuously failed in delivering on her mandate of protecting the most vulnerable in our society. She should never have been appointed Minister of Women in the Presidency.

President Ramaphosa can no longer run around this issue and must do the right thing. Judge Ngoepe’s findings combined with her dismal track record is sufficient grounds for her to be fired from Cabinet.

Issued by Bridget Masango, DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, 8 May 2018