Former Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini has pleaded not guilty to charges of perjury.

Dlamini is currently appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.

The NPA explained that Bathabile is accused of lying under oath.

“The charges relate to her testimony during an inquiry established by the Constitutional Court into her role in the 2017 social grants crisis,” NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.

The establishment of the inquiry that was chaired by former Judge President Bernard Ngoepe, stemmed from a Constitutional Court application brought by Black Sash Trust, joined by Freedom Under Law over Sassa and Dlamini’s failure as the accounting officer, to appoint a service provider for the distribution of social grants.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Gauteng Local Division, Advocate Andrew Chauke took a decision in August to criminally prosecute Dlamini for perjury, alternatively, contravention of Section 38 (5)(b) the Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013 (lying under oath).

Mjonondwane said the charges relate to her testimony during an inquiry established by the Constitutional Court into her role in the 2017 social grants crisis.

“In September 2018, the Constitutional Court found that Dlamini not only failed in her duties as minister, but also failed to disclose information to the inquiry for fear of being held liable for the 2017 crisis.

“After this ruling that ordered that its judgment, together with Judge Ngoepe’s inquiry report be forwarded to the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration of criminal liability, the NDPP directed that the matter be dealt with by the office of the DPP,” she said.