Bathabile Dlamini

SASSA funded security services for Dlamini's children after she asked the agency's management to arrange the protection. After several years of litigation, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in December 2024 that she had acted beyond her powers and ordered her to repay 2,008,086 rand, with the financial consequences provided for in the judgment.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The Johannesburg court found Dlamini guilty of perjury in March 2022 for false statements made under oath about her role in the "work streams" linked to the SASSA crisis. In April 2022, she received a sentence of four years' imprisonment or a fine of 200,000 rand, of which two years' imprisonment or a fine of 100,000 rand were suspended.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

The 2017 crisis concerning payment of social grants to millions of recipients led the Constitutional Court to scrutinise Dlamini's role. A subsequent inquiry concluded that aspects of her conduct had been reckless or grossly negligent, and she was personally ordered to bear part of the legal costs.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The Social Development Ministry purchased a BMW 740i costing approximately 1.3 million rand for Dlamini and a Jeep Grand Cherokee costing approximately 1.1 million for her deputy minister. The purchases, disclosed during a period of budget restrictions, prompted controversy over public spending priorities.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

In the Travelgate scandal, Bathabile Dlamini pleaded guilty to fraud involving approximately 254,000 rand in improper benefits linked to parliamentary travel vouchers and received a fine with a conditional prison sentence.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated