Bathabile Dlamini’s former adviser heads to court over dismissal

Sipho Shezi, who was an adviser to Bathabile Dlamini when the minister was responsible for the Department of Social Development, says he believes he was fired for insisting on transparency and honesty during the 2017 social grants fiasco.

Now Shezi has approached the High Court in Pretoria to sue the department for his dismissal. The case is expected to be heard on Thursday.

Dlamini fired Shezi in April 2017. He and other officials had sought a way of ensuring the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) could pay social grants without having to use Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).

In his affidavit submitted to court Shezi, said the decision to terminate his contract was taken in bad faith and was irrational. He was informed of the termination through a letter left on his desk, he said.

"The termination came as a complete surprise and was certainly premised no doubt on the stand which I had taken to ensure a full and honest compliance with the Constitutional Court requirements and there was to be an extension of the CPS contract for no more than a one-year period," he said.

"I no doubt was proving to be a thorn in her [Dlamini’s] side. My insistence on open, honest and transparent governance in the best interests of the state was no doubt viewed as a hindrance." Shezi said he had tried to convince Dlamini and the department of the need to inform the court that they were going to extend the contract with CPS. This was before Sassa approached the court at the last minute in March 2017 to ask for the extension.

Shezi, like former Sassa CEO Thokozani Magwaza and former social development director-general Zane Dangor, has blamed Dlamini for the agency’s inability to take over the social-grant payments.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle in February led to Dlamini being removed from social development, making way for Susan Shabangu. The Department of Social Development has not filed an opposition to Shezi’s application.

In his affidavit, Shezi said the termination of his contract had not prejudiced him financially but he was concerned about his integrity and dignity, which had been called into question.

He wants the court to order that damages awarded to him be based on his gross earnings of R100,000 a month over the period starting on June 1 2017 until the court’s order and thereafter until Dlamini’s removal.

Over the past year, Sassa twice approached the Constitutional Court after the agency failed to take over the administration of social grants.

In the most recent judgment, the court was forced to grant a six-month extension of Sassa’s contract with CPS for the management of cash payments of social grants to 2.5-million beneficiaries.