Ramaphosa Dismisses Tolashe as Social Development Minister

President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed Sisisi Tolashe as Minister of Social Development on Thursday, appointing Sindisiwe Chikunga, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, as acting head of the department pending a permanent replacement.

The move follows months of scrutiny over allegations of misconduct and irregular practices in the department, which oversees welfare programs for pensioners, children, people with disabilities and grant beneficiaries. A parliamentary probe in April revealed that a department employee hired as a food aide had been assigned to Tolashe's private home in East London to care for her grandchildren. The employee, earning R15,670 monthly, allegedly handed over half her salary, about R7,000, to Tolashe's daughter for household expenses. Tolashe told Parliament's social development portfolio committee she was unaware of the arrangement and described it as a private matter.

Additional allegations included the acceptance of two BAIC Beijing X55 SUVs, valued at around R1 million and donated by the Chinese embassy, which were registered in the names of Tolashe's children, Nanilethu and Kanyisa. One vehicle was...