Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe Admits Irregular Appointment of 22-Year-Old PA in Parliament Briefing
Cape Town – Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has come clean before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development, admitting that the appointment of a 22-year-old personal assistant was not above board. In a tense session on 9 October 2025, Tolashe pointed fingers at her former chief of staff for making the irregular hire happen.
She also revealed that the young woman’s CV had been falsified to make her look more qualified. Both the former chief of staff and the personal assistant have since been let go from their roles, sparking talks about nepotism, poor governance, and the need for stricter checks in government hiring.
This case has put a spotlight on how public offices handle staff appointments, especially when family ties and quick promotions come into play. With South Africa facing high unemployment among young people, many are asking why someone so young and inexperienced got such a key job in a department meant to help the poor and vulnerable. Tolashe, who also leads the ANC Women’s League, stressed that she had no part in the wrongdoing and is pushing for a full probe to clear the air.
Background to the Controversy
The storm started brewing in early September 2024 when reports came out about Lesedi Mabiletja’s quick rise in the Department of Social Development (DSD). At just 22 years old, Mabiletja was first hired as a personal assistant to the minister. But soon after, she got bumped up to the high-level post of chief of staff, a job that comes with a hefty salary of around R1.4 million a year.
Mabiletja’s qualifications raised eyebrows right away. She holds a national diploma in public management, which is at NQF level 6. For the chief of staff role, the rules call for at least an NQF level 7 qualification, plus five years in middle or senior management. Even for the personal assistant spot, she fell short, with only about one year of work experience, possibly from an internship. Human resources officials in the department flagged this early on, warning in a document dated 3 September 2024 that hiring her could break rules, lead to bad audit results, and harm the department’s name.
Despite the red flags, the appointment went ahead. A meeting on 1 August 2024, with top leaders like Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks, discussed the issue, but it seems no big changes were made. By mid-September, the story hit the public, leading to calls from Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration for a proper look into what they saw as irregular hires and possible misuse of power.
The committee was worried not just about Mabiletja but also about other claims in the ministry. They pointed out how such moves could point to nepotism – favouring family or friends – and hurt trust in government. This all ties into bigger problems in the DSD, like past cases of staff changes, leaks, and fights between groups inside the department.
Tolashe’s Admission in Parliament
During her appearance before the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on 9 October 2025, Tolashe did not shy away from the facts. She admitted straight up that Mabiletja’s appointment as personal assistant was “irregular” and happened under “dubious circumstances.” A quick check inside the department found lies and tricks on the CV, plus big mistakes in how the hiring was done.
Tolashe told the committee members that she had trusted her team to handle things right. “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. She made it clear that the whole process was meant to be fair, but it went wrong because of one person’s actions.
The minister slammed media stories on the issue, calling them false and meant to hurt her good name. She said they were full of “unlawful information” and aimed to pull focus away from her work to fix the department and kick out bad elements. “Let me hasten to add that the action we have taken is not punitive rather protective pending further investigation,” Tolashe added, showing she wants a fair process.
To sort things out, she has asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to do an outside probe. “I can assure you that we will adhere to the PSC’s recommendation without any hesitation,” she promised. This step is seen as a way to make sure everything is above board and to rebuild faith in how the ministry runs.
Blame on Former Chief of Staff and Dismissals
Tolashe put the full blame on her former chief of staff, Zanele Simmons, for the mess. She said Simmons went ahead without permission, ignored advice from human resources, and even changed the CV to make Mabiletja seem better qualified. This included adding fake details or twisting facts to fit the job needs.
As soon as Tolashe found out, she acted fast. Both Simmons and Mabiletja got put on leave with pay while checks were done. Simmons was then fired right away, but she is fighting back. She has taken the matter to the Labour Court, saying her sacking was unfair and driven by politics. Simmons claims she is being used as a scapegoat to cover up bigger issues in the department. Her lawyers want Tolashe and the director-general, Peter Netshipale, to pay costs themselves, not with public money.
Mabiletja also lost her spot. Her chief of staff role was taken back quietly on 23 September 2025, with a memo to staff saying Abram Phahlamohlaka would step in for now. He is an old hand in government, once a spokesperson for the Presidency. But Mabiletja stayed on in the department, going back to her personal assistant job – even though HR said she does not qualify for that either. In the end, she too was let go as part of the clean-up.
This is not the only staff shake-up. The department also changed its spokesperson twice in a short time. Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane got the boot after just three weeks, replaced by Sandy Godlwana from 1 October 2025. The old spokesperson, Lumka Oliphant, was suspended earlier, supposedly for bad management but maybe for leaking info about a pricey trip to New York.
Family Ties and Other Allegations
A big part of the uproar is Mabiletja’s link to Ngwako Kgatla, Tolashe’s special adviser. She is his niece, and some say this family connection helped her get the job. Kgatla himself is in hot water for “double-dipping” – getting paid from two government spots without saying so. One salary from the DSD, another from the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
Tolashe defended Kgatla in Parliament, saying her department cannot discipline him because special advisers are not normal staff under the Public Service Act. The issue has been sent to the other department for handling. There are also whispers that Tolashe and Kgatla are in a romantic relationship, which could make things look like favouritism. Tolashe has not spoken on these personal claims, focusing instead on work matters.
These ties point to deeper worries about nepotism in government. Opposition members in Parliament have called for more digs into how executives use their power, saying it sets a bad example when jobs go to connected people instead of those who earn them.
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