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President Cyril Ramaphosa has told parliament he decided to axe social development minister and ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president Sisisi Tolashe after going through a report she submitted to him explaining herself on the range of allegations she is facing.
Just hours before he was meant to appear before the National Assembly, Ramaphosa’s office announced that he had fired Tolashe with immediate effect and that he had appointed Sindisiwe Chikunga, minister in the presidency responsible for women, youth and persons with disabilities, to act in the position.
This comes after months of endless allegations of wrongdoing and possibly corruption against Tolashe, which placed Ramaphosa under pressure to act.
These ranged from allegations that she failed to declare donations of two luxury BAIC vehicles from Chinese officials, which she allegedly hid by registering them under her children’s name.
ActionSA has since laid a criminal case against her.
Tolashe was also reportedly at odds with Ramaphosa over her decision to extend a contract of a director-general despite warnings against this move. This director-general has now been placed under suspension.
Allegations also emerged recently that a food aide working for her had been paying a portion of her state-funded salary to Tolashe’s daughter.
Ramaphosa decided to axe Tolashe after calling her in to explain herself this week. “On the basis of various reports in the media, as well as representations in parliament, I requested the then minister of social development to furnish me with the report on all these matters. I had a discussion with the minister and gave her an opportunity to set out her case,” he said.
“Now, having considered all these submissions by the minister, and mindful of the conduct expected of members of the executive, I have decided to remove the minister from the position of minister of social development, in terms of section 91.2 of the constitution.
“Now, an announcement to this effect was made by my office earlier today, and in her stead, I’ve appointed an acting minister. Minister Chikunga will act while I give further consideration to what should happen in that portfolio.”
Ramaphosa said he’d not disclose publicly the exact reasons he gave Tolashe when he informed her of his decision to get rid of her. “The president is never required to disclose the reasons why they appoint or disappoint, in other words, remove any member of the executive, and I intend to stick by that convention and practice,” he said.
His decision came just days after an interim report of the ANC’s integrity commission was said to have this week recommended that he remove her from his cabinet.
According to senior ANC leaders, the interim report suggested that the integrity commission was not convinced by Tolashe’s explanation regarding the donation of two vehicles from the Chinese officials, which she registered in her children’s name despite claiming they were meant for the ANCWL.
Sources this week said the integrity commission submitted an interim report to the ANC’s national officials, led by Ramaphosa, which sought to suggest that Tolashe should be removed from the cabinet.
However, senior ANC leaders said the report was likely going to be amended as Tolashe was meant to go back to the integrity commission to supplement her initial submission.
This comes after the ANCWL top five last week presented a report to the national officials, which contained details of their engagement with Tolashe. In the report, seen by Sowetan’s sister newspaper Sunday Times, the leaders tell the national office bearers that Tolashe has apologised for the mess that she has created over the cars and that they’ve accepted her apology.
According to the report, Tolashe, “without hesitation, agreed to meet with the officials, in which she admitted to having received the cars on behalf of the organisation, but instead handed them over to her own children.
“In the deliberations between the president and the national officials, comrade Tolashe committed to bring back the two vehicles to the ANC Women’s League,” reads the report.
“NWC (national working committee) members deliberated freely as the president [Tolashe] was not part of the session, and it was concluded that in light of the processes that would unfold both in parliament and the ANC internal processes, the ANCWL NWC accepted the apology and shall await these processes.”
According to the report, the apology is still hinging on the outcome of the processes that are unfolding, including a court case that has been opened by the ActionSA.
“However, until such time that all matters regarding the cars have been ventilated by relevant institutions, the NWC will accept the explanation and the apology tendered by the president, and her show of remorse was appreciated by the NWC,” read the report. - Sunday Times
