‘She was treated like a slave’: Social development worker’s lawyer claims Tolashe lied to parliament
· Citizen
The lawyer representing a woman who was allegedly made to work as a nanny and “slave” in Sisisi Tolashe’s private house claims the social development minister lied to Parliament this week.
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Tolashe appeared before the portfolio committee on social development on Wednesday to respond to several allegations, including irregular appointments, food aid, a former house aid, and governance concerns in the Department of Social Development.
Addressing claims that a department employee was diverted to work at her private home and then made to share her salary with the minister’s daughter, Tolashe said the woman was “employed by the department in the official residence in Cape Town.”
However, she admitted that the woman had been told to go to the Eastern Cape, was staying with her daughter, and was still being paid by the department. Tolashe said she had “no knowledge” of payments to her daughter and the pair had “their own arrangement”.
Thembelani Mpakati, who represented the woman, told City Press this week that Tolashe had lied in her explanation to parliament.
He alleged that the minister claimed to know nothing about the arrangement but had herself introduced the woman to her daughter.
“The woman was never at one of the minister’s official houses – not even for a visit. There was never, ever an agreement that she would work in an official residence.”
He also claimed the woman was “treated like a slave in that house”.
“They expected her to do everything. She not only had to look after the children; she had to clean the house and do laundry – including the daughter’s boyfriend’s and that of cousins, nieces or extended family who turned up at the house with their dirty washing.
“To think she was appointed by the minister who is supposed to care for the most vulnerable people in our country, like this woman, is unthinkable.”
‘I did not mislead parliament’
Tolashe, who is also the ANC Women’s League president, also had to explain receiving two luxury BAIC vehicles from Chinese officials for the league, which she did not declare or register in the organisation’s name.
The matter sparked outrage, and ActionSA opened a criminal case against her as pressure mounted for her to be suspended or to resign amid the fiasco.
“I made it very clear that the cars were meant for the ANC Women’s League, not me, and this is why I did not declare them,” she said.
“I guess there is a perception that I misled parliament. However, I want to reiterate that I did not mislead parliament.”
She said the matter had been referred to parliament’s ethics committee, where she had submitted an affidavit, and requested that the matter be left to that committee.
When previously hauled before the ANC’s integrity commission, Tolashe reportedly explained that she shifted ownership of the vehicles to prevent their seizure because financial woes meant that assets registered with the ANC and its leagues were at risk of being attached.
“I did not acquire the vehicles in question for personal benefit or enrichment. I did not, at any stage, derive any personal or financial benefit from those vehicles,” she was quoted as saying.
However, ActionSA alleged that one of the cars had “already been sold, indicating private benefit.”
“The acceptance of high-value ‘gifts’ from a foreign government, particularly where those assets are concealed through family members, raises grave concerns about corruption, undue influence, and abuse of public office,” the party said.
“This is a textbook example of how public power can be abused for private gain.”
Additional reporting by Oratile Mashilo