Perjury trial against Bathabile Dlamini set to proceed on Friday

The perjury trial against former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini is expected to resume at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Friday. 

Dlamini, who is president of the ANC Women’s League, allegedly gave false evidence under oath at an inquiry instituted by the Constitutional Court in 2018 into the payments fiasco at the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa). 

The matter relates to repeated extensions of an unlawful tender awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to distribute the department’s social grants in 2017.

The court was forced to extend the contract with CPS even though it was found to be illegal.

Dlamini pleaded not guilty on November 24 to the charge and told the court if she gave false evidence under oath, she did so unknowingly. 

During her last court appearance on November 26 her attorney Tshepiso Mphahlane told the court his client should be acquitted after cross-examining a witness brought by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).   

He argued the state had no case against Dlamini.

 “The state’s evidence is of such poor quality that it cannot be relied upon.There is not sufficient evidence upon which the court, acting carefully, may convict the accused.”

Speaking to TimesLIVE, former ANC staffer Carl Niehaus  said the decision to prosecute Dlamini was politically motivated. 

 “The NPA does not have a case, as it is with me, comrade Ace Magashule and others. These cases are trumped up with no basis except for factional reasons,” he claimed.

TimesLIVE