CAPE TOWN — President Cyril Ramaphosa waited “far too long” to fire former Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe, according to ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip, who says the allegations against her painted a shocking picture of abuse of power and mistreatment of staff.
Tolashe was dismissed following sustained pressure after allegations emerged that she appropriated vehicles donated to her political party, taxed government-paid staff working for her, and engaged in inhumane treatment of her employees—conduct that Trollip said had been ongoing since her time as deputy minister.
“I’m surprised it took so long for President Ramaphosa to act against Minister Tolashe,” Trollip said. “The weight of evidence against her was enormous.”
Trollip credited media reports, particularly naming journalist Rebecca Davis, as well as the work of his ActionSA colleague Darelene James, who had been pushing the case against Tolashe.
“The fact that it took President Ramaphosa nearly five months before he acted against this minister is to me unacceptable,” Trollip said, adding that other poor performers remain in cabinet. He cited Minister Thamsanqa “Thami” Simelane, who was moved from one department to another despite alleged involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank scandal.
Asked whether the delayed firing reveals deeper issues of protectionism within the ruling African National Congress and the Government of National Unity, Trollip said the ANC has “shown for the last 30 years that they will endure almost anything from their members.”
He dismissed suggestions that Tolashe’s removal would restore public trust in government. “I don’t think this move is going to regain any public trust. The public have been waiting with bated breath for months for him to remove this minister. All he did was what he should have done long ago.”
Trollip said his colleague James has formally asked the president whether the government will force Tolashe to repay the money deducted from her support staff’s salaries. Ramaphosa responded that the matter would be investigated by the public service administration.
“We will follow that very closely,” Trollip said. “We will continue to submit questions to the president and to the public service administration to make sure those monies are retrieved from the former minister’s pension before her pension is released to her.”
He added: “We’re not happy with just the firing of this individual. She must pay back the money and she must be held to account. If she is found to have been defrauding the state, she must be charged and prosecuted.”