The director-general reportedly faces charges including gross dishonesty, dereliction of duty and bringing the department into disrepute.
The DA has lodged an ethics complaint against Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Tolashe, accusing her of deliberately misleading Parliament regarding the employment contract duration of the department’s Director-General Peter Netshipale.
DA Spokesperson on Social Development, Alexandra Abrahams, on Sunday stated that the minister had contradicted a Cabinet resolution when responding to parliamentary questions about Netshipale’s appointment.
“By publishing a misleading response to a written parliamentary question and submitting a misleading report to the portfolio committee on Netshipale’s appointment, the DA has concluded that the Minister has lied to Parliament not once but twice, which may constitute an offence,” Abrahams said.
Tolashe’s conflicting statements
The Sunday Times reported that according to Cabinet minutes dated 26 March 2025, Netshipale was approved for a one-year contract with an annual remuneration package of R2.259 million.
This was due to his age of 64, which exceeds the standard retirement threshold for public servants.
Tolashe, in an official response on 15 October, said “the duration of the contract of employment for the newly appointed Director-General, Mr Peter Netshipale, is one year as per the Cabinet decision dated 26 March 2025.”
Yet in May, she told parliament something entirely different.
“The duration of the contract for the newly appointed Director-General in my Department is five years (2025-2030). This is in line with the current prevailing prescripts,” Tolashe stated at that time.
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Allegations of favouritism and nepotism
Beyond the contract dispute, Abrahams alleged that Tolashe had used her ministerial position to influence hiring processes.
The DA spokesperson claimed the minister had shielded her favoured special advisor, Ngwako Kgatla, from accountability and disciplinary procedures.
“She then employed an unqualified and unsuitable person, Lesedi Mabiletja, to the position of Private and Appointment Secretary and Acting Chief of Staff, based on alleged favouritism and nepotism,” Abrahams added.
She further emphasised that such conduct would violate standards expected of government officials.
“Minister Tolashe’s conduct, if true, amounts to a violation of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interest, which all members of parliament and the executive are meant to uphold,” she said.
Leadership crisis inside the department
The controversy unfolds within a department managing a budget of R294 billion and responsible for distributing social grants.
The department has reportedly experienced a series of sudden suspensions and staff reshuffles, many of which insiders attributed to actions taken by Tolashe through Netshipale following his appointment in March.
On 9 October, Tolashe claimed that the allegations of irregular appointments in her office are a deliberate attempt to tarnish her reputation.
Abrahams stressed the gravity of the situation given the department’s critical role.
“There is a serious crisis of leadership at the Department of Social Development, one of government’s most crucial departments with a budget of R294 billion and responsible for the payment of social grants, which is detrimental to delivering on its core functions and mandate,” she stated.
ALSO READ: Social development spokesperson ‘felt threatened’ after warning by Tolashe’s aide – report
Disciplinary charges against director-general
Despite the apparent conflict over his contract, Netshipale now faces disciplinary action.
The director-general reportedly faces charges including gross dishonesty, dereliction of duty, and bringing the department into disrepute.
Additionally, an internal letter from Tolashe to Netshipale, which is said to have been circulated among senior staff, accuses him of serious misconduct and requires written representations by 20 October.
In her letter, Tolashe warned of potential consequences if Netshipale failed to accept responsibility.
The minister allegedly wrote: “Unbeknownst to me, you decided to sign a contract for five years which has since been varied to a year … on the face of it, your conduct constitutes misconduct of, among others, dereliction of duty, alternatively dishonest conduct and prejudicing the administration and efficiency of the office of the minister.”
Contract amendment under investigation
An internal departmental memo circulating last week confirmed that the authenticity of Netshipale’s contract had been under investigation.
The memo indicated that the Cabinet’s decision mandating a one-year term remained binding. According to the memo, Netshipale’s contract has been changed to one year, with his employment term running until March 2026.
The department spokesperson, Sandy Godlwana, reportedly confirmed the authenticity of Tolashe’s letter containing these accusations.
Demand for accountability
Abrahams called for swift action and consequences if wrongdoing is substantiated.
“Minister Tolashe should be held to account for all the failures, and if she is found guilty by the ethics committee, the DA will be demanding serious accountability,” she stated.
The DA spokesperson concluded that the minister’s actions, should they prove factual, render her unsuitable for her position.
“Minister Tolashe has brought Parliament and the Department of Social Development into disrepute and is not fit to hold her position and should be removed,” Abrahams said.
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