President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Sisisi Tolashe as minister of social development following a wave of allegations ranging from misleading parliament to governance failures within her department.
Tolashe axed from Cabinet
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed the removal.
“In the interim, President Ramaphosa has appointed Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga as the acting minister in the portfolio pending a full-time appointment in due course,” Magwenya said on Thursday.
The axing follows a turbulent period for Tolashe, marked by a string of serious allegations that ultimately proved impossible to ignore.
Tolashe controversies
On 6 May, Tolashe appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development to answer questions about several allegations, including irregular appointments, food aid distribution concerns, matters involving a former house aide and broader governance failures within her department.
Among the most pointed accusations was that she had misled parliament over vehicles allegedly donated to the ANC Women’s League, as well as questions about the contract of the department’s former director-general.
Tolashe denied the allegations, rejecting claims that she had been dishonest with parliament.
Opposition welcomes the decision
The DA’s Karabo Khakhau made no effort to conceal her satisfaction at the news of Tolashe’s removal.
“Minister Tolashe is fired! Reg so! Parliament is not a place for criminals! Law and order must prevail,” Khakhau said.
Saftu had already demanded presidential action
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) had, as early as 7 May, called on Ramaphosa to publicly address the allegations against Tolashe, accusing him of staying silent while serious questions mounted around one of his ministers.
In a strongly worded statement, Saftu argued that the gravity of the allegations demanded more than presidential silence.
“Saftu is not a court of law. We do not declare anyone guilty before due process. But these allegations are serious enough to demand immediate presidential clarification, not silence, evasions or factional protection,” the federation said.
Saftu was careful to distinguish between calling for accountability and prejudging the outcome, stressing that its concern was not with Tolashe’s guilt or innocence but with what it described as Ramaphosa’s evasiveness in the face of mounting public scrutiny.
