The minister says media reports were intended solely to damage her reputation.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has claimed that the allegations of irregular appointments in her office are a deliberate attempt to tarnish her reputation.
Tolashe appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development on Thursday.
This followed media reports that her personal assistant, Lesedi Mabiletja, had been irregularly appointed as the minister’s chief of staff in September 2024.
The 22-year-old reportedly earned an annual salary of around R1.4 million, despite lacking experience for the senior role.
Mabiletja is said to be the niece of Tolashe’s special adviser and alleged lover Ngwako Kgatla.
She reportedly also does not have the credentials required for the personal assistant role – a position she returned to after her “quiet” removal as chief of staff.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe slams ‘false’ reports
During Thursday’s meeting, Tolashe dismissed the reports as “false” adding that they contained “unlawful information”.
She maintained that the reports were intended to damage her reputation and dignity.
“By extension, they also been deliberately made to disparage and divert public attention from our concerted efforts to stablise the DSD [Department of Social Development] portfolio and root out bad apples in the system,” the minister said.
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Tolashe told MPs that Mabiletja’s appointment as her personal assistant was “irregular” and placed blame on her former chief of staff, Zanele Simmons, for allegedly facilitating the appointment.
“Given the administrative nature of this process, it was delegated to the chief of staff, who works jointly with human resources [division] in the department.
“At the time, I had no reason to suspect that the then chief of staff would betray my trust and undermine the recruitment and selection of ministry support staff,” she said.
Watch the meeting below:
“It has since been established that the appointment of Ms Lesedi Mabiletja as a personal assistant to the minister was found to be irregular.
“A preliminary investigation revealed misrepresentation and dishonesty on her CV and serious procedural irregularities in her appointment,” the minister added.
She accused Simmons of “acting without authority” by processing the appointment to the director-general against advice from human capital management and “knowingly falsified a CV submitted in favour of Ms Mabiletja”.
Ex-chief of staff fired
Tolashe indicated that both Simmons and Mabiletja had been placed on precautionary suspension with full pay after she became aware of the matter.
“Ms Simmons has since been summarily dismissed and she is exercising her legal right to challenge her dismissal.
“Let me hasten to add that the action we have taken is not punitive rather protective pending further investigation.”
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She added that the matter has been referred to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for an external investigation.
“I can assure you that we will adhere to the PSC’s recommendation without any hesitation.”
Special adviser’s appointment under scrutiny
Tolashe also addressed Kgatla’s appointment as her special adviser amid accusations that he has been “double-dipping” and earning two government salaries.
She told the committee that, although the matter was referred to the director-general for a legal opinion, special advisers are appointed by the executive authority and thus fall outside the social development department’s disciplinary jurisdiction.
“In other words, the department has no authority to institute disciplinary proceedings against Kgatla as he’s not an employee under the Public Service Act,” she clarified.
The minister added that the matter was referred to the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, where the alleged misconduct took place, for further processing.
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