Dlamini may still face perjury charges

The National Prosecuting Authority is still considering whether minister of women in the presidency Bathabile Dlamini should face perjury charges.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is still considering whether minister of women in the presidency Bathabile Dlamini should face perjury charges.

Dlamini was found to have possibly lied under oath when dealing with the Social Security Agency of SA (Sassa) fiasco in 2017 when she was social development minister.

She had denied responsibility for the affair and, in doing so, was thought to have lied to the highest court in the land.

In September, the Constitutional Court ordered Dlamini to pay out of her own pocket 20% of the legal costs of the Black Sash Trust and Freedom Under Law over the 2017 Sassa debacle. It also directed that the NPA make a call on whether Dlamini should be prosecuted and charged for perjury for lying under oath.

The NPA said the matter was forwarded to the office of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) in Gauteng. It was then referred to the office of Gauteng Hawks head Maj-Gen Prince Mokotedi, NPA provincial spokesperson Phindi Louw said.

‘‘Two advocates from the office of the DPP are guiding the investigations and the matter is still under consideration.’’

In the meantime, the DA has lodged an application in the high court in Pretoria to have the reappointment of Malusi Gigaba and Dlamini as cabinet ministers declared unlawful.

Gigaba resigned as home affairs minister on Tuesday.

Both ministers were retained but moved to other portfolios when President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled the cabinet in February.