Rise and fall of SASSA minister Sisisi Tolashe: a timeline of controversy

In less than two years in office, Sisisi Tolashe was removed as minister overseeing South Africa’s social grant agency amid a series of controversies that drew rebukes from the presidency and disciplinary action from her party.

Appointment and quick rise

Sisisi Tolashe was appointed Minister of Social Development in July 2024, arriving at the Union Buildings after a post-election cabinet reshuffle under the Government of National Unity. She replaced Lindiwe Zulu in the portfolio responsible for the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

Irregular hiring and staffing disputes

During 2025, media reports said Tolashe unlawfully appointed Lesedi Mabiletja, then 22, as her acting chief of staff in a post carrying an annual taxpayer-funded salary of R1.4 million. The Public Service Commission later found Mabiletja’s CV had been doctored to reflect non-existent government experience.

Mabiletja resigned in January 2026 without facing a disciplinary hearing. Reports named Tolashe’s special adviser Ngwako Kgatla as having facilitated the appointment; the reports said he is Mabiletja’s uncle.

In October 2025, department spokesperson Lumka Oliphant was dismissed; that move was widely seen as retaliatory after she raised concerns about governance.

Presidential rebuke and disciplinary action

In March 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a written rebuke to Tolashe after she initiated disciplinary proceedings against the department director-general, Peter Netshipale, without presidential authority. Media coverage said Tolashe repeatedly shifted blame to subordinates during committee hearings and employed evasive or untruthful responses.

Vehicle donations and ownership questions

Two BAIC Beijing X55 SUVs donated in late 2023 to the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) became a focal point of controversy. The vehicles were reportedly registered in the names of Tolashe’s children, Nanilethu and Kanyisa, and one of the cars was later sold. The donations were not disclosed, according to reporting.

Before the ANC’s integrity commission, Tolashe said she had shifted ownership of the vehicles to prevent them from being seized because of the organisation’s financial difficulties.

Policy decisions under scrutiny

While leading the department, Tolashe oversaw grant decisions that drew public attention. A 3.4% SASSA grant increase came into effect in April 2026; the previous year’s increase had been 4.8%. Reports said the 3.4% figure was guided by National Treasury and matched the inflation range at the time, but that it was quickly eroded by a Middle East fuel-price crisis.

She also approved cost-cutting and targeted-review measures that reportedly aimed to cut R3 billion in grants over two years.

Removal and party discipline

President Ramaphosa removed Tolashe from her ministerial post on 14 May 2026. Following her dismissal, the ANC referred her to its disciplinary committee over allegations that her conduct damaged the party’s reputation.

What she leaves behind

The controversies surrounding Tolashe’s administrationirregular appointments, questions over vehicle donations and disputed management decisionsunfolded while she led the department responsible for the welfare of millions of South Africans dependent on social grants.