Court rules Bathabile Dlamini to cover legal costs in social grant crisis
The Constitutional Court has ruled formerPromotion of Access to Information ActBathabile Dlamini will have to personally pay some of the costs of the application in the social grant saga.
The judgement was handed down in the Constitutional Court.
The case stemmed from a ConCourt ruling several years back that the contract awarded to Cash Paymaster Services to distribute social grants was invalid.
CPS's contract had to be extended by the court after the Social Security Agency of South Africa said it wasn't ready to take over the function.
In handing down the ruling - Justice Johan Froneman referred to the Ngoepe Inquiry - which was asked by the Constitutional Court to determine Dlamini's role and responsibility in the social grants debacle.
The Inquiry found that Dlamini had misled the court - in order to avoid having to be held personally liable for the costs of the application.
"The inference that she did not act in good faith in doing so, is irresistible. At best, her conduct was reckless and grossly negligent. All that is sufficient reason for a personal cost order. This conclusion is a serious and sad one especially in the context of provision of social grants to the most needy in our society. But if it is not to happen again, consequences must follow," Froneman said.