Cape Town – Former minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini’s lawyer Tshepiso Mphahlane reportedly pleaded with the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Wednesday to be “lenient” on his client after it found her guilty of perjury.
According to Sunday Times, Mphahlane said Dlamini, 59, was a single mother who only earned R110 000 a month – R40 000 from her previous role as a Member of Parliament and R70 000 as the ANC Women’s League president.
“Out of this income, she needs to maintain herself, her household … being a single parent. She is now paying tuition for two daughters who are at university. One is 26 and the youngest is 19.
“She also assists with her niece’s university tuition, and like many Africans assists her extended family during tough times. Her parents are both still alive and she’s responsible for them,” the report quoted Mphahlane as saying.
Mphahlane further suggested that one of Dlamini’s income streams may be cut soon. He said her position as the ANCWL president was not a permanent position.
ALSO READ: ‘Why is Cde Lindiwe Sisulu being dismissed?’… Stop ‘hurling insults’ at her, says Bathabile Dlamini
The State on the other hand has called for a hefty fine or even a harsh sentence against Dlamini, according to IOL.
“At the centre of this offence is dishonesty with a capital D. At the pinnacle of this offence is accountability. We expect a certain standard of accountability from public servants. Accountability, accountability. This is what we want from our public servants.
“It is, therefore, imperative that the community out there should see the justice system in action. The perception that the law protects the rich, the politically connected, should find its way out of the justice system,” said prosecutor Matthews Rampyapedi as quoted by the report.
News24 reported that Dlamini was found guilty of perjury by Magistrate Betty Khumalo for lying under oath during a 2017 inquiry into the social grants debacle at the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) that saw millions of grant beneficiaries unsure if they would receive their money.
The matter was postponed to April 1 for sentencing.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Picture: Twitter/@coalition2024
Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
