Staff Reporter.
Former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini returned to the Johannesburg Regional Court on Tuesday for perjury.
Dlamini is facing charges related to her testimony during an inquiry by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) with regards to her role in the social grants crisis in 2017.
She briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decided to prosecute her after the 2018 inquiry into the social grant crisis.
Judge Bernard Ngoepe, who oversaw the inquiry, said Dlamini failed to answer questions related to the role she played.
He labeled her an evasive witness who simply did not answer questions truthfully.
Tuesday High Court case was postponed to allow all parties to exchange the information contained in the docket.
“You are warned to be back here on the 1st of October at 8:30 am m’am, and to remain in attendance until your matter is called and dealt with. Failure to appear has consequences, a warrant of arrest may be authorised against you, you may lose your bail money to the state and can be kept in custody until the matter is finalized,” warned Magistrate Betty Khumalo.
A report released by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) in 2017 showed more people were receiving social grants than the number of employed citizens.
In 2016, there were 15,545,000 employed citizens in South Africa, while 17,094,331 people were receiving social grants. The report also stated government would find it hard to expand the grants rollout as the economy slows.