Embattled Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has publicly stated that she had no knowledge of any private financial arrangement between her daughter, Khanyi (also referred to as Khanyisa), and a household employee hired as a temporary “food aide.” The revelation came during her appearance before Parliament’s portfolio committee on social development on May 7, 2026, where she addressed multiple controversies surrounding her department and personal conduct.
The issue surfaced after a report by Daily Maverick exposed allegations that the minister’s daughter had been receiving half of the R15,000 monthly salary paid to the food aide, Nomathamsaqa Kuhlanga. According to public service regulations, such arrangements are prohibited. The employee was initially appointed to work at the minister’s official state residence in Cape Town but reportedly ended up providing services at the family’s private home in East London, another apparent breach of rules.
Tolashe told MPs that the helper had requested a transfer to the Eastern Cape due to health reasons and her intention to undergo training as a traditional healer (ukhuthwasa). She emphasised that any salary-sharing agreement was a private matter between her daughter and the employee, of which she claimed to have no prior knowledge. The minister stated that the salary was paid directly by the department into the employee’s bank account and that she only learned of the split later.
“When I come to the payments to the daughter, chair, I have no knowledge of that, because the salary came straight from the department to her bank account,” Tolashe told the committee. She added that the employee had requested to be released from her duties last year due to her health and training commitments.
Opposition MPs reacted sharply. DA MP Nazley Sharif and ActionSA’s Dereleen James accused the minister of shifting blame onto her own daughter to protect her position. Sharif expressed concern that the minister was avoiding accountability for scandals plaguing her department. Committee chairperson Bridget Masango (DA) referred the matter to the Public Service Commission for investigation, with PSC commissioner Prof Somadoda Fikeni agreeing it fell within their mandate.
In contrast, several ANC MPs defended Tolashe, describing the food aide allegations as mere rumours and social media gossip. The minister also faced questions about other issues, including the alleged fraudulent use of her electronic signature to extend the contract of former director-general Peter Netshipale from one year to five years, against a cabinet directive. A forensic probe was initiated into that matter as well.
Tolashe, who also serves as president of the ANC Women’s League, has been under significant pressure since her appointment in 2024 due to a series of controversies. The latest developments highlight ongoing tensions around accountability, family involvement in official matters, and adherence to public service regulations within senior government circles.
