Bathabile Dlamini pays R650k personal cost order to NGOs in social grant case 13 May 2021 - 08:49 By Naledi Shange Former minister Bathabile Dlamini has paid the costs awarded against her in her personal capacity by the Constitutional Court. File image. Image: Thapelo Morebudi/Sunday Times
Former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini has paid a personal cost order against her to the NGOs that brought a successful court action against her.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), which represented the Black Sash.
The order was made by the Constitutional Court for her role in the social grants crisis almost three years ago.
In another victory for civil society and accountability, former Minister of Social Development, head of the ANC Women’s League and currently MP, Bathabile Dlamini, has finally coughed up R650,000 in legal costs owed due to her “reckless and grossly negligent” conduct as a Minister.
After three years of giving the Black Sash Trust, represented by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (Cals) and Freedom Under Law (FUL), the runaround Cals announced on 13 May that “we have been gratified to note that in the past two weeks the order has now been complied with and Ms Dlamini has paid our costs”.
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In 2018, the Constitutional Court handed down a personal costs order against Bathabile Dlamini over her handling of the appointment of a social grants distributor.
Dlamini had failed to pay a 20% portion of the legal costs incurred by the Black Sash Trust and Freedom Under Law in bringing the case against her.
The organisations say they have received confirmation that Dlamini has settled a bill of more than R600 000.
Former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini has paid the personal costs order handed down against her by the Constitutional Court, the groups who took her to court announced on Thursday.
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Bathabile Dlamini pays R650 000 for her role in social grants crisis
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Pretoria - Former minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini has paid the costs awarded against her personally following a ruling made in this regard by the Constitutional Court in 2018 for her role in the social grants crisis.
The Centre for Applied Legal Studies (Cals) which represented the Black Sash Trust and others during the legal battle, confirmed that the former minister had paid R650 000 in total - her 20% portion of the legal costs which the Constitutional Court at the time said she was personally liable for.
She was ordered to pay a portion of the costs of litigation brought by civil society organisations in an effort to protect the social grants system.