Bathabile Dlamini Parliament

Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini during 2017 Child Protection Week Closing Ceremony at Lusikisiki college of Education in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. South Africa. 04/06/2017. Photo: Siyabulela Duda / Flickr

Bye bye Bathabile: Dlamini gets the chop after cabinet announcement

The future of Bathabile Dlamini has finally been decided: The axe has fallen on the former minister, who has been ousted during the cabinet announcement.

Bathabile Dlamini Parliament

Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini during 2017 Child Protection Week Closing Ceremony at Lusikisiki college of Education in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. South Africa. 04/06/2017. Photo: Siyabulela Duda / Flickr

After a tumultuous few years in government, Bathabile Dlamini has been ousted from the top. Cyril Ramaphosa has cut the former Minister of Women, who will continue to serve as an MP despite her chop from Cabinet.

She also gives up her role as part of “The Presidency” – a position reserved for the Women’s Minister in the current Parliamentary set-up. Dlamini leaves with a cloud above her head, but this move isn’t likely to ease the pressure on the ANC stalwart now she’s been removed from Cabinet

Cabinet announcement: Bathabile Dlamini – the bad and the ugly

The DA are still keen to press charges against her for the misappropriation of government funds during her SASSA days, as well as her gross mismanagement. For the uninitiated, this is her rap sheet:

Dlamini and the CEO of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Pearl Bhengu were thick as thieves together as they attempted to run the Department of Social Development. Bathabile’s reputation was destroyed after a Parliamentary hearing turned up some shocking revelations about her abuse of power and state funds:

  • The total in irregular expenditure during her time as a minister comes to R1.3 billion.
  • When the hearing got underway, 664 cases of maladministration were under consideration.
  • Bathabile Dlamini used R2 million from Sassa’s pot to hire top-notch security for her children. This was entirely excessive.
  • Dlamini and Bhengu spent R43 million on “work streams” to figure out a new grants system. It proved utterly fruitless.
  • The pair orchestrated “wholesale abuse” of the emergency funding system, asking for triple the price of what blankets and sheets would originally cost.

Who will replace her?

The manipulation has finally caught up with the politician. Replacing her as the Minister for Women is Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. She has left her role in overseeing the responsibilities of land reform after her department merged with agriculture. MNM is seen as a more capable ally than Bathabile Dlamini, who has officially left the building.