Axe falls on Sisisi Tolashe

President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired Sisisi Tolashe as minister of social development amid mounting pressure over allegations of irregular appointments and misconduct in her office. Ramaphosa appointed Sindisiwe Chikunga, the minister of women, youth and persons with disabilities, as interim minister of social development. Tolashe has aced growing scrutiny in recent weeks over allegations of corruption linked to her tenure at the department. In April 2026, a parliamentary probe found that a department employee appointed as a “food aide” worked at Tolashe’s East London home as a nanny to her grandchildren and was allegedly required to hand over half her salary to Tolashe’s daughter. The employee allegedly had to split her monthly salary of R15,670, with half paid to Tolashe’s daughter for household expenses. The Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA subsequently laid criminal charges against Tolashe and submitted complaints to the public protector and parliament’s ethics committee. In a letter to Ramaphosa, DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis called on the president to remove Tolashe as an example of clean governance in the government of national unity. “President Ramaphosa has previously shown that he is prepared to act where the continued presence of a Minister undermines confidence in public office. That principle cannot now be applied selectively. The standard for remaining in Cabinet is not the same as the standard for criminal conviction,” he said. Hill-Lewis said ministers must be able to lead their departments with credibility, integrity and public confidence and a minister responsible for social development cannot operate under a growing cloud of allegations involving personal benefit, family enrichment and the possible misuse of public resources. “The Department of Social Development serves pensioners, children, people with disabilities, grant beneficiaries and families who depend on the state in moments of deep hardship. It must be an example of care, integrity an