A deepening leadership crisis at SASSA now threatens to undermine the critical social grant system serving millions of South Africans. The Department of Social Development (DSD), which oversees these grants through SASSA, commands an annual budget of R294 billion. This allocation is the largest from the National Treasury, second only to the country’s debt repayments....Click to Read More >>➤

Despite this substantial funding, a pattern of irregular hirings, suspensions, and internal disciplinary actions points to a significant leadership crisis at SASSA. The situation has escalated with a new ethics complaint filed against Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe. She faces allegations of misleading Parliament regarding a key employment contract, as reported by The Citizen.

Minister Accused of Misleading Parliament

The Democratic Alliance’s Alexandra Abrahams is publicly questioning the hiring of Director-General Peter Netshipale and, by extension, Minister Tolashe’s fitness for office. Recent cabinet minutes reveal that Netshipale, aged 64, was hired in May 2025 on a one-year contract with an annual remuneration of R2.2 million.

This directly contradicts information Minister Tolashe previously provided to Parliament. She stated that Netshipale’s contract would span five years, from 2025 to 2030, claiming it aligned with the department’s “prevailing prescripts.” The one-year term appears to be because Netshipale’s age exceeds the standard retirement threshold for public servants.

“The minister published a misleading response and later submitted a misleading report to the portfolio committee on Netshipale’s appointment,” said Abrahams. “Therefore, the DA concludes that Tolashe has lied to parliament not once but twice, which constitutes a serious offence.”

Allegations of Unqualified Appointments and Internal Strife

Further compounding the leadership crisis at SASSA are accusations that Minister Tolashe used her position to influence other hirings. Abrahams alleges the minister appointed an “unqualified and unsuitable” 22-year-old, Lesedi Mabiletja, to the role of Acting Chief of Staff.

“The minister’s conduct, if true, amounts to a violation of the Code of Ethical Conduct,” Abrahams argued. “As such, we believe Minister Tolashe has brought parliament and the DSD into disrepute and is not fit to hold her position.”

Adding to the turmoil, Minister Tolashe’s aide, Luvuyo Shasha, is accused of sending threatening messages to staff members. These internal conflicts suggest the leadership crisis at SASSA is creating a toxic work environment, potentially impacting the agency’s operational efficiency.

Disciplinary Action and a Defensive Stance

The repercussions of this leadership crisis at SASSA continue to unfold internally. Despite the controversy being of his own contract, Peter Netshipale now faces disciplinary action. He has been formally charged with dishonesty, dereliction of duty, and bringing the department into disrepute.

A leaked internal letter accuses him of serious misconduct for initially signing a five-year contract. DSD spokesperson Sandy Godlwana confirmed that Netshipale’s contract has since been corrected to a one-year term, set to run until March 2026.

In response to the growing scandal, Minister Tolashe has suggested that the negative media coverage is a calculated ploy orchestrated by the department’s former communications chief, Lumka Oliphant. This defensive posture does little to resolve the underlying issues fueling the leadership crisis at SASSA.

The ongoing instability raises serious concerns about the governance of an agency responsible for delivering essential financial support to the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. With a R294 billion budget at stake, the resolution of this leadership crisis is paramount to ensuring the continued and effective distribution of social grants.