Why social development minister put luxury ANCWL cars in her kids’ names

Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe. Picture: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach Social development minister Sisisi Tolashe has tried to explain away a decision to register cars meant for the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) in her children’s names instead. Tolashe, who is also the ANCWL president, received two luxury BAIC vehicles from Chinese officials for the league but did not declare them or register them in the organisation’s name.

The matter sparked outrage, andActionSA opened a criminal case againsther as pressure mounted for her to be suspended or to resign amid the fiasco. When hauled before the ANC’s integrity commission recently, Tolashe reportedly explained that she shifted ownership of the vehicles to prevent their seizure. According to theSunday Times, she claimed the organisation’s financial woes meant that assets registered with ANC and its leagues were at risk of being attached.

Despite the ANCWL previously denying any knowledge of the vehicles, Tolashe said the cars were for the league and so were not declared to Parliament. She insisted to the commission that she gained no personal benefit from the cars. “I did not acquire the vehicles in question for personal benefit or enrichment.

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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.”

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