The Department of Social Development (DSD) has issued a holding statement calling for journalistic restraint and due process, even as a series of investigative reports paint a deeply troubling picture of alleged misconduct at the highest levels of the department, directly implicating its minister, Sisisi Tolashe.
On Wednesday, the department urged media practitioners to uphold journalistic integrity and cautioned against publishing unverified claims as established fact.
“While the Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, welcomes robust and constructive engagement as part of a healthy democratic environment, it is inappropriate for media platforms to be used to advance personal grievances or promote narratives that rely on inflammatory or defamatory language,” the department said.
The statement, however, comes against a backdrop of several separate Daily Maverick investigations, each raising serious questions about the conduct of the minister and those closest to her.
Government employee allegedly forced to pay half her state salary to minister’s daughter
Among the most striking allegations is the case of a woman, identified only as Thandi to protect her identity, who told Daily Maverick she was appointed by the Department of Social Development to work for Minister Tolashe as a “food aide”.
Thandi reportedly said she had understood she would be placed at one of the minister’s two official residences, in Cape Town or Pretoria.
Instead, she found herself living and working at Tolashe’s private residence in East London, alongside other members of the minister’s family.
More troublingly, Thandi told the publication she was required to hand over roughly half of her government-funded monthly salary to Tolashe’s daughter, Kanyisa, ostensibly to cover household expenses.
Documents obtained by publication appear to support her account, suggesting that a state-funded employee was effectively being used as private domestic labour, with a portion of her taxpayer-funded income redirected to a member of the minister’s family.
The department maintained that where administrative irregularities had been identified, “including in recruitment and personnel processes, decisive steps have been taken to halt such activities and initiate formal investigations”.
It added that “all investigations involving departmental officials and advisors are conducted in line with established legal frameworks and internal disciplinary procedures, without any executive interference.”
Minister’s inner circle accused of fraudulently claiming work experience
A second investigation centres on two of the minister’s closest advisers, her former chief of staff, Lesedi Mabiletja, and her current special adviser, Ngwako Kgatla, who are an aunt and nephew.
Daily Maverick’s investigation suggests that both work experiences were fraudulently claimed and linked to the late Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize.
Mabiletja reportedly stepped down from her position in January 2026, following earlier Daily Maverick reporting that raised questions about her qualifications for the role.
Kgatla, however, remains in post as Tolashe’s special adviser, a position he has held since accompanying the minister from her previous role as deputy minister for women, youth and persons with disabilities.
The department’s statement appeared to address this category of allegations indirectly, noting that “some issues recently reported in the media, including matters related to organisational donations and historical recruitment processes, originate from legacy systems that predate the current administration”.
It added that “the department is actively addressing these matters to ensure lasting institutional improvement”.
Minister accused of misleading parliament over luxury vehicles from Chinese officials
Perhaps the most politically explosive allegation concerns two luxury vehicles that Daily Maverick’s investigation suggests were accepted by Tolashe from Chinese officials.
The minister reportedly told parliament the cars were received as donations on behalf of the ANC Women’s League.
The publication’s investigation, however, suggests the vehicles were given directly to Tolashe’s two children for their personal use and were never declared.
If accurate, the allegation would constitute a serious breach of parliamentary accountability obligations, with potential legal and ethical ramifications for the minister.
The DSD’s statement made no direct reference to this allegation, instead reiterating a broader commitment to transparency.
“The department views this attention not as adversarial, but as an important element of oversight and a necessary component of transparency,” the statement read.
It further asserted that “the minister continues to strengthen governance systems and promote a unified, professional, and merit-based organisational culture”.
Department insists reform – not misconduct – is at the heart of the scrutiny
The department sought to frame the current period of media attention as a natural byproduct of institutional reform rather than evidence of wrongdoing.
It urged the public and the press to distinguish between what it described as current reform-related challenges and failures inherited from previous administrations.
“It is important to distinguish between challenges arising from current reform processes and administrative shortcomings inherited from previous cycles,” the department said.
The department concluded with a firm declaration of priorities: “DSD will not substitute due process with media commentary. Its primary focus remains the delivery of essential social protection services and grants to millions of South Africans, while ensuring accountability and integrity within its administrative systems”.
