President Ramaphosa must act now against disgraced Minister Bathabile Dlamini!

27 September 2018

Today’s Constitutional Court (ConCourt) judgment is a victory for our democracy, a victory for accountability and a victory for every grant recipient that was negatively affected by the SASSA grant crisis, caused by the ineptitude of former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

The IFP is pleased that the highest Court in the land has finally endorsed what the IFP believed all along – that Minister Dlamini was solely responsible for the SASSA grant crisis and that she was hell-bent on defying the Constitutional Court by any means possible.

The order by the Court in handing down the judgement to have the former Minister of Social Development pay 20% of all legal costs in her personal capacity is therefore most certainly welcomed.

Further to this, the ConCourt’s instruction to forward Minister Dlamini’s statements to the Court to the National Prosecuting Authority as she may be found guilty of perjury for lying under oath, clearly shows that she is not fit and proper to serve as a Minister in President Ramaphosa’s cabinet.

It is now time for President Ramaphosa to act against this rogue Minister.

The IFP therefore calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively and relieve her of her duties as the Minister for Women in the Presidency.

Minister Dlamini has caused millions of South Africans misery. If President Ramaphosa’s is truly passionate about the plight of the most vulnerable in society and truly committed to building a South Africa where unethical leaders are punished, Minister Dlamini should have no place in his Cabinet.

Issued by Liezl van der Merwe, IFP Spokesperson on Women and Social Development, 27 September 2018