ActionSA has requested that President Ramaphosa immediately fire Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe for blatantly lying to Parliament and engaging in an elaborate cover-up regarding luxury vehicles from Chinese officials, which a Daily Maverick investigation has revealed were instead for the benefit of the Minister’s daughters.
After initially failing to respond to ActionSA’s questions about the luxury vehicles last year, Minister Tolashe eventually replied to a resubmitted question by stating that the vehicles were donated to the ANC. However, as the Minister would know, such a donation would have to be declared to the IEC if, as she claims, it was indeed made to the ANC.
Unsurprisingly, the ANC has itself distanced itself from any such vehicles, with its most senior officials stating that they have no knowledge of what Minister Tolashe is referring to. This makes it clear that the Minister is attempting to cover up what appears to be the unlawful receipt of these vehicles, with serious consequences.
Having regard to the fact that the vehicles were not declared by the Minister to Parliament, the facts point clearly to an attempt to mislead Parliament in order to conceal the receipt of these vehicles.
The purpose of this apparent “gift” requires urgent investigation, as it is highly irregular for a Minister to receive two luxury vehicles from foreign government officials under any circumstances, especially when the recipient has made every effort to conceal it.
Representing the most egregious form of disrespect, a Minister who blatantly lies to Parliament commits an affront to the very institution constitutionally empowered to hold the executive to account.
ActionSA believes that the Minister’s actions, which may well carry criminal implications, are simply unacceptable and warrant her immediate dismissal. If the President has any regard for the institution his appointed Minister has so clearly disrespected, he must act without delay.
ActionSA Demands President Ramaphosa Immediately Fire Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe
ActionSA has requested that President Ramaphosa immediately fire Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe for blatantly lying to Parliament and engaging in an elaborate cover-up regarding luxury vehicles from Chinese officials, which a Daily Maverick investigation has revealed were instead for the benefit of the Minister’s daughters.
After initially failing to respond to ActionSA’s questions about the luxury vehicles last year, Minister Tolashe eventually replied to a resubmitted question by stating that the vehicles were donated to the ANC. However, as the Minister would know, such a donation would have to be declared to the IEC if, as she claims, it was indeed made to the ANC.
Unsurprisingly, the ANC has itself distanced itself from any such vehicles, with its most senior officials stating that they have no knowledge of what Minister Tolashe is referring to. This makes it clear that the Minister is attempting to cover up what appears to be the unlawful receipt of these vehicles, with serious consequences.
Having regard to the fact that the vehicles were not declared by the Minister to Parliament, the facts point clearly to an attempt to mislead Parliament in order to conceal the receipt of these vehicles.
The purpose of this apparent “gift” requires urgent investigation, as it is highly irregular for a Minister to receive two luxury vehicles from foreign government officials under any circumstances, especially when the recipient has made every effort to conceal it.
Representing the most egregious form of disrespect, a Minister who blatantly lies to Parliament commits an affront to the very institution constitutionally empowered to hold the executive to account.
ActionSA believes that the Minister’s actions, which may well carry criminal implications, are simply unacceptable and warrant her immediate dismissal. If the President has any regard for the institution his appointed Minister has so clearly disrespected, he must act without delay.