By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday dismissed the country’s Minister of Social Development, Sisi Tolashe, and appointed Sindisiwe Chikunga to oversee the ministry’s affairs until a substantive appointment by the president. This is coming as opposition intensifies demands for the president’s resignation.
The reason for the dismissal is unclear; however, the Minister was accused of receiving two Chinese SUVs in 2023 for the ANC Women’s League, without formally notifying Parliament. This amounted to suspected acts of corruption.
There is also a more serious case of corruption involving the minister’s former aide, employed as a Food Aide to the Minister of Social Development, but was posted to the Minister’s private home in East London and was also asked to give nearly half of her lawful monthly salary amounting to about R7, 000 to the Minister’s daughter, Kanyisa Tolashe. Meanwhile, the Aide was supposed to have been posted to the former minister’s official residence in Pretoria or Cape Town.
Sending a government-paid aide to her private home was a violation of the law in South Africa. This is also the same as having the aide share her salary with the Minister’s daughter. In many African countries, official aides, including security details, are often removed from their official duties and assigned to private duties of the public officer. In many instances, legislative aides are asked by the public official to share their salaries with relatives or others not doing the job. This pattern is very common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
However, a statement from the Presidency announcing the dismissal of Sisi as Minister of Social Development in South Africa did not give any reasons for her dismissal.
