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Inquiry into Dlamini’s role in Sassa saga starts Monday

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An inquiry into Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini‘s role ahead of last year’s social grants crisis is expected to begin at the Offices of the Chief Justice in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, on Monday.

This inquiry follows a Constitutional Court order that the Minister in her personal capacity be part of a legal challenge against grants agency South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), the Minister and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).

The challenge was brought by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies on behalf of the Black Sash Trust.

In its judgment handed down on 17 March last year, the Constitutional Court called upon Dlamini to explain why she should not be joined to the case in her personal capacity and pay the costs of the application out of her own pocket.

It further indicated that the Minister bears the primary responsibility to ensure that Sassa fulfills its functions.

After considering papers filed by the Minister, the former Chief Executive Officer of Sassa and the former Director General of the Department of Social Development, the court ordered on 15 June 2017 that the Minister be joined to the matter in her personal capacity.

Since there were a number of disputes in these papers, the court further sought agreement from the parties to establish an inquiry to investigate any outstanding issues.

Justice Bernard Ngoepe was appointed as the inquiry adjudicator.

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