Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams pays R1,000 & gets a criminal record for lockdown lunch

Minister of communications, telecommunications & postal services Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams paid an admission of guilt fine of R1,000 on Tuesday.

Ndabeni-Abrahams was charged with contravention of regulation 11 B of the Disaster Management Act and was served with summons to appear in the Pretoria district court next month.

The National Prosecuting Authority's Phindi Mjonondwane said the admission of guilt fine was as per determination by the senior magistrate for the magisterial district of Tshwane where the amount of R1,000 has been set for the offence of failure to confine oneself to his or her place of residence.

Mjonondwane confirmed that the minister now has a criminal record.

The state alleged that, on April 5, Ndabeni-Abrahams unlawfully and intentionally failed to remain confined in her place of residence by visiting former deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana at his home.

“The investigations revealed that the visit was not for purposes of rendering essential services or obtaining essential goods, collecting a grant or seeking medical attention as per requirements of the Covid-19 regulations,” said Mjonondwane.

President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Ndabeni-Abrahams for two months, with one month's salary docked.

Police minister Bheki Cele later told a Good Friday event in the Eastern Cape that Ramaphosa had instructed law-enforcement agencies to work on the Ndabeni-Abrahams matter.

The breach of the Covid-19 regulations does not affect Ndabeni-Abrahams' ability to serve in Ramaphosa's administration. Only a custodial sentence of more than 12 months without an option of a fine would bar her from being an MP.