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Inside the Storm: Turmoil at South Africa’s Social Development Department
They say a government’s real strength lies in how it protects its most vulnerable citizens. In South Africa, that responsibility sits with the Department of Social Development, a lifeline for millions who rely on SASSA grants. Yet behind the mission to serve, a storm has been brewing inside the department’s own walls.
From Irregular Hiring to Internal Threats
It started quietly, with questions around an “irregular” appointment. Minister Sisisi Tolashe’s 22-year-old Chief of Staff, Lesedi Mabiletja, was reportedly hired outside normal procedures. Tolashe has denied involvement, but the controversy was only the beginning.
Soon after, more serious allegations surfaced. The minister’s aide, Luvuyo Shasha, allegedly sent threatening messages to suspended communications chief Lumka Oliphant, warning she could “get hurt” if she didn’t “stop her tantrum.” The tension revealed an office culture in free fall.
Oliphant, who had been suspended after an Auditor-General’s report citing misconduct, claims the real reason was retaliation for a leaked exposé about Tolashe’s R3-million trip to New York, a trip still unexplained in purpose or value to the South African public.
‘Ridiculed and Victimised’
Oliphant later said she was mocked and sidelined despite being rated among the top-performing communications heads in government. She reported the intimidation to Sandton police, leading to Shasha’s suspension.
The department’s spokesperson admitted his conduct “brought the minister and the department into disrepute,” but claimed he acted on his own. For a ministry built on social welfare and empathy, that defence feels hollow. The problems clearly run deeper than one employee.
A Crisis at a Critical Time
The scandal could not come at a worse moment. The Department of Social Development is under financial pressure, with R14 billion in cuts planned for 2026/27. While SASSA grants saw a small increase in October 2025, the road ahead looks grim.
Appearing before Parliament, Minister Tolashe dismissed the wave of reports as a smear campaign by Oliphant. But with trust eroding and millions depending on the department’s stability, this is no time for political finger-pointing. South Africans want accountability, not excuses.
The Bigger Picture: Leadership and Accountability
This department holds the pulse of the nation’s social heart. Any dysfunction within it isn’t just internal; it ripples outward, affecting families who depend on grants to survive. Restoring credibility will require more than statements; it needs genuine reform, transparency, and the humility to rebuild trust.
Until that happens, the department’s crisis serves as a cautionary tale of how easily public institutions can lose sight of their purpose.
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Source: The South African
Featured Image: Central News South Africa
