The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid a criminal complaint against Bathabile Dlamini, saying that she was silent about crimes committed during her tenure as social development minister.

DA spokesperson on social development Bridget Masango said on Friday that Dlamini's 10-page resignation letter clearly showed she had knowledge of alleged corrupt activities while she was ministry head.

In the resignation letter on Tuesday, Dlamini suggested she was aware of wives of African National Congress (ANC) members who were allegedly involved in dubious financial relationships with former social grants service provider, Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).

She stated: "[Those] that made profit through CPS by their wives are known but because they are respected by the organisation, nothing is being said to them."

Masango said the party believed that Dlamini, a person of authority, had knowledge of corrupt activities related to the ANC and CPS "and is therefore complicit in these crimes".

"Her silence on this crime is a crime in itself and she must be held fully accountable for her actions. Dlamini was ultimately tasked with protecting and serving the poor and vulnerable within our society and this makes her silence on this alleged corruption despicable."

She said that in terms of Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, any person who holds a position of authority and suspects or knows of another person who committed corruption should report the offence to the police.

"Failure to do so is an offence," Masango added.

Perjury charges update

She said the party would also write to national police commissioner General Khehla Sithole to request an update on perjury charges laid against her on October 3, 2018, in the next 14 days.

Masango said they laid the charges after the Constitutional Court asked the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to consider prosecuting Dlamini for lying under oath during her testimony at the Judge Bernard Ngoepe inquiry into the social grants crisis.

"The ball is now in SAPS' court to deal with the former minister and investigate her without fear or favour. For far too long, Bathabile Dlamini, protected by Jacob Zuma and her allies, got away with evading accountability and the DA will ensure that she finally gets their day in court."