There’s method in Bathabile Dlamini’s madness

There is method in the madness of Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

Her behaviour fits a recurrent Zupta theme. It paints Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as the anti-poor bad guy.

Dlamini is following a script. The uncertainty about whether 17 million SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants will be paid on April Fool’s Day is manufactured for a purpose.

Monday’s announcement that Sassa and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) have reached agreement on a “new” contract came with a footnote that Treasury had not given approval.

The subtext is this: everything will be fine; all grants will be paid, if only Gordhan stops being miserly.

The impression created is he is the stumbling block. Join the dots.

During “Weekend Special” Des van Rooyen’s stint as finance minister, he said he wanted to make Treasury more accessible.

That’s what the grants payout fiasco is about. The Zuptas still crave access to Treasury.

In December 2015, they got rid of then finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, who was blocking their way.

That dismissal cost the country hundreds of billions of rands.

Under pressure, Zuma was compelled to replace Van Rooyen with Gordhan, a move he resented.

READ MORE: Social grants: The confusion continues 

Since then, the Zuptas have toiled ceaselessly to tarnish Gordhan, using bogus charges and other dirty tricks.

The Sassa crisis is in that category. The Zuptas couldn’t give a damn about the poor, who are mere pawns.

Arousing emotions is part of the plan, as is the deliberate channelling of those negative feelings in Gordhan’s direction.

For example, on Saturday, President Jacob Zuma met with Dlamini and Gordhan, instructing them to ensure payment.

On Monday he embellished his message, telling them not to squabble. Zuma creates the impression he has done his job and Dlamini has done hers. And Gordhan is the odd one out.

Yet in terms of law Gordhan is not at fault. The blame lies with Dlamini.

Her surreal press conferences and insults are minor flaws. She is in contempt of the Constitutional Court, which in April 2014 declared the CPS contract invalid because the tender process was unlawful.

Dlamini has known this for years. During Sunday’s briefing, and in court papers, she pretended she was first made aware of her legal predicament as late as October last year.

Yet the media has proven she was told in May 2016 that her planned course would be illegal.

She has done nothing to make the tender process legal. Why not? Given her blasé attitude to the Concourt, Dlamini is also not concerned about flouting the Public Finance and Management Act (PFMA) while playing to the populist gallery.

After all, she has the backing of a constitutional delinquent who sets a low bar for legal compliance.

By contrast, Gordhan is a stickler for legal process. He knows that if he accepts a CPS agreement under the current circumstances, he’ll be in breach of the PFMA.

That’s why Treasury won’t sign off unless the Concourt approves.

So, whether former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor is correct in her prediction that the Guptas will end up with a last-minute Sassa contract or not, Dlamini is still serving their purpose by trying to unsettle Gordhan.

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