Archbishop-Emeritus Njongonkulu Ndungane thanks ConCourt, slams social development minister

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - March 17, 2017 - PRLog -- "I say this following the stern judgement handed down this morning by the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg that has effectively rescued the South African government's inept oversight of social grant payouts from total disaster.

"Indeed, it could be argued that it has rescued the country from the worst constitutional crisis it has faced since 1994.

"Most importantly, it has acted without fear or favour in the interests of millions of people who have no other means to live other than through the social grants which, in terms of a regime that recognises the need for such grants, is sound.

"But our government, as the Constitutional Court suggested, almost derailed this.

"As a long-standing champion of the poor, I do not understand how the President can continue to condone the behaviour of social development minister Bathabile Dlamini who has shown by her inaction that she has no regard for the poor.

"Her arrogance in this entire situation is breathtaking.

"In this regard, I particularly welcome the requirement of the Constitutional Court that she report to it every three months. It means that someone with an understanding of good governance will be watching her and SASSA like hawks.

"The fact that it has come to this underlines the moral bankruptcy of the Zuma regime, the blind misplaced loyalty of the ruling tripartite alliance to the minister, the failure of the Executive to fulfil its responsibilities, and the inability of Parliament to hold the government accountable.

"I have no doubt that the majority of South Africans share my view that this minister can longer be trusted to discharge her sacred constitutional right fairly, efficiently, and in the interests of maintaining the social fabric of our society.

"The very fact that the Constitutional Court has had to act at the eleventh hour in this matter, and make findings that require her to show why she should not be personally responsible for all costs incurred in the action, and be personally joined in the action, shows that she is a disgrace to good governance and to South Africa.

"That President Zuma sees fit to continue to defend her is incomprehensible – not least because he has a record, albeit of many years ago, of also caring for the poor.

"I also wish to pay tribute to the Black Sash, which brought the matter before the Constitutional Court, and to those NGOs who joined it, such as Corruption Watch and Freedom under Law. Where would we be without NGOs?"