Former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini Pleads for Lesser Sentence, Found Guilty of Perjury
- Bathabile Dlamini, the former Minister of Social Development, has asked the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court for a lesser sentence
- Dlamini was convicted of perjury on Wednesday, 9 March, in relation to the testimony she gave at an inquiry into the 2017 social grants scandal
- South Africans are shocked that Dlamini would complain about her income of R110 000 a month while asking the court to show her some leniency
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JOHANNESBURG - Former Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini has asked the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court for some leniency regarding the punishment she should receive for lying under oath.
On Wednesday, 9 March, Dlamini was found guilty of perjury after the court determined that she had lied and given false evidence at an inquiry into the SASSA debacle in 2017. The social grants scandal saw millions of grant beneficiaries living in the uncertainty of whether or not they would receive their grants.
Source: Getty Images
Dlamini's legal representative, Advocate Tshepo Mphahlane, made submissions to the court following the guilty verdict, asking the court to consider a lesser sentence for Dlamini since she is a pensioner. Her lawyer stated that Dlamini is also a single mother who survives on an income of R110 000 per month, according to TimesLIVE.
Mphahlane broke down Dlamini's monthly income and said she earns a salary of R70 000 from the African National Congress Women's League and an additional R40 000 pension as a former Member of Parliament.
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Mphahlane highlighted that with the income Dlamini receives, she has to look after her immediate and extended family. Mphahlane added that Dlamini pays their tuition fees for two daughters aged 19 and 26, who are both in university.
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He went on to say that the R70 000 salary was not guaranteed because the ANCWL is going to confer in the next few months, and she may not be re-elected as the president.
State wants the harshest sentence for Dlamini
State prosecutor Matthews Rampyapedi told the court a prison sentence for Dlamini's actions is not a far-fetched proposal. Rampyapedi further stated that perjury is a serious offence and the whole point of the case was accountability, reports IOL.
Rampyapedi went on to say that should the court feel that a prison sentence was too harsh, then Dlamini should be given a heavy fine for her offence.
South Africans react to Dlamini asking the court for leniency
@Jack80916706 said:
"73 000 for a qualified doctor after years of study yet she complains about 110 000 monthly doing what?"
@Cathie1929 said:
"April Fool! But more seriously, ma'am will get a generous 5.5% increase that dates from the government employee pension fund on her ex-MP pension R 50k pm. And she gets R 70k pm from ANCWL. Scraping the bottom of the pap pot, shame. Maybe her sister Dlamini Zuma can help."
@LavinodeDon said:
"Shame man, only R110,000. So little, wonder how she gets by."
@Frances20192236 said:
"Shame man just goes to show we are all suffering together some have it worse than others but whew only R110k what a tragedy..."
@ZimasaMatiwane said:
"I don't understand this approach to mitigation. I understand single mom taking care of two elderly parents but ingenaphi isalary? Ningandithuki I don't know anything about the law."
@MalatjieKholo said:
"If we are to be fair & lenient, she should at least pay a 10 million fine or face jail."
@777e764d426f40c said:
"Shame that's 100 000 more than 80% of South Africans,send her to jail."
Former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini found guilty of perjury during social grant inquiry
Briefly News previously reported that former Minister of Social Development Bathibile Dlamini was found guilty of perjury by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 9 March.
During a 2017 probe into the social grants crisis in the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), Dlamini was later accused of lying under oath, leaving millions of grant recipients wondering if they would ever receive their money.
Magistrate Betty Khumalo, who presided over the matter, stated that the prosecution had proven without reasonable doubt that Dlamini did in fact lie at the inquiry, according to News24.
Source: Briefly News
