Former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini was on Friday sentenced to four years imprisonment for perjury, with half of her jail time suspended for five years.
Johannesburg magistrate Betty Khumalo also gave Dlamini the option of paying a US$13,000 fine in lieu of serving her sentence.
“The accused is accordingly sentenced to a fine of $13,000 or four-years imprisonment if unable to pay the fine,” Khumalo said.
She added: “Half of the sentence is suspended for a period of five years on the condition that the accused is not convicted of the offence of perjury.”
Dlamini’s case related to testimony during an inquiry in which the Constitutional Court sought to establish her role in a scandal involving the abuse of social grants in 2017.
The inquiry, which was headed by judge Bernard Ngoepe, investigated whether Dlamini should be held personally liable for the costs of the South African Social Security Agency debacle.
The judge found that the former minister had been evasive when questions were put to her during the inquiry. She was found guilty last month.
NM/jn/APA