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...