Bad to worse: Ndabeni-Abrahams now subject to a police investigation

We salute any of you who’ve had a worse week than communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. The Cabinet member was pictured breaking the laws of lockdown, had a month’s pay docked, earned an eight-week suspensions and now, she’s officially under investigation from SAPS.

Ndabeni-Abrahams in lockdown farce

Her informal dinner with Mduduzi Manana saw the ANC members scramble to get their story straight earlier in the week. But President Ramaphosa was ‘unmoved’ by their illegal rendezvous – Manana claimed he was supplying the minister with personal protective equipment (PPE), but his story has been widely discredited.

The EFF filed criminal charges against Ndabeni-Abrahams, and sure enough, the police have received the docket in Sandton. The party listed the following grievances with the now-infamous “lockdown lunch”.

• The minister’s two-month ban is “non-sensical”, and undermines the proper laws of lockdown.
• Ndabeni-Abrahams losing just a month’s salary “mocks the national effort”, and doesn’t go far enough as a punishment.
• Mduduzi Manana, who claimed to have a stockpile of masks and hand sanitisers, must also be probed.
• The minister’s decision to meet with Manana is “the first step on the dark road towards corruption”.

Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams facing criminal charges

It was revealed on Friday morning that police will be investigating this matter further.

“The case was opened at Douglasdale Police Station on Wednesday, so the necessary investigative processes are under way and we cannot deliberate on that but that it revolves around contravention of the Disaster Management Act.”

SAPS spokesperson Mathapelo Peters

What are South Africa’s rules for lockdown?

The only reasons any of us have for leaving the house is if we’re obtaining essential goods (groceries, health supplies or fuel), providing an essential service, collecting a social grant, or seeking emergency medical treatment.

If you leave your house for none of the aforementioned reasons, you’ll be subject to a fine and a possible jail sentence – lasting no longer than one month – for breaching the lockdown regulations. Although prison is one of the least likely options for the minister, it is a clearly-stated possibility in the National Disaster Act.