THAMI DICKSON | If Tolashe is unfit for cabinet, why is she fit to lead the ANCWL?

South Africans have become accustomed to a troubling pattern where political leaders whose credibility has collapsed in government remain shielded by their party structures long after they have failed the citizens they were entrusted to serve.

Even more concerning is that many of these individuals continue to occupy powerful internal party positions, shaping policy discourse and influencing the government they were fired from through their party.

This has created the impression that loyalty to internal political networks often matters more than public accountability.

This is the political crisis the dismissal of minister of social development Sisisi Tolashe presents for her party, the ANC, and, more specifically, for the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) she continues to lead.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to have recognised the gravity of the scandals Tolashe has committed, hence he decided to remove her from government. But that decision is exposing a serious contradiction inside the ANC.

If the scandals surrounding Tolashe’s conduct were severe enough to justify her dismissal from Cabinet, why are they apparently not serious enough for the ANCWL to remove her as its president?

Having been removed from her Cabinet position for failing to uphold the key tenets of her constitutional mandate, it’s a contradiction that she nonetheless remains the president of the ANCWL, a significant and influential structure within the party.

This sends a confusing message to society when a leader is deemed unfit to serve the broader public but considered fit enough to lead one of the ANC’s most important internal structures.

How can an individual who has been found wanting in the execution of her constitutional responsibilities continue to sit in high-level decision-making forums, contributing to conversations about building a caring state? The disconnect is glaring.

The ANC cannot ignore the broader political consequences of these contradictions. South Africans are tired of leaders who appear insulated from consequences while ordinary citizens are expected to uphold high standards in their workplaces and communities.

Every scandal involving senior ANC leaders adds to public frustration with a governing party struggling to convince voters it is serious about renewal.

For decades the ANC has carried the historic responsibility of advancing democratic values, ethical leadership and responsive governance.

The continued presence of discredited leaders within its inner structures undermines these ideals. It suggests the consequences of failure in public office do not matter in the ANC, so long as one remains politically connected.

Leadership, whether in government or party structures, demands integrity, competence and accountability. These principles cannot be selectively applied. When the standards for public office differ from those for party leadership, it creates a dual system of accountability, with one for the public and another for party members and leaders.

That cannot be the country the ANC wants to build. Such inconsistency undermines not only the credibility of the individuals involved but also the legitimacy of the institutions and party structures they represent.

If the ANC is to renew itself and regain public trust, it must confront this contradiction directly. It must align its internal standards with the expectations it sets for public office.

Disciplinary action and removal from government positions should also carry meaningful consequences within party structures or accountability becomes performative rather than substantive.

Citizens deserve a political culture where integrity is not optional and where failure in public duty is not quietly absorbed into party protection.

• Dickson is a media professional and commentator on African affairs