Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe told Parliament in February that she received two luxury SUVs as donations for the ANC Women's League. Just one problem: the ANC doesn't seem to know what she's talking about.

A Daily Maverick investigation suggests that Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe falsely told Parliament that she accepted two luxury vehicles from Chinese officials as donations for the ANC Women's League -- when in reality the cars appear to have been given to Tolashe's two children for their personal use without ever being declared.

Tolashe did not respond to Daily Maverick's request for comment on Wednesday.

How Parliament snookered Tolashe

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

When ActionSA MP Dereleen James asked Tolashe what had become of "two luxury 4x4 vehicles" that Tolashe was believed to have received from "officials representing a foreign government", via a parliamentary question submitted on 4 December 2025, Tolashe ignored it.

This is a breach of parliamentary rules, which require Cabinet ministers to answer such questions within 10 working days. But James persisted, resubmitting the question when Parliament reopened in 2026, and demanding reasons for Tolashe's failure to respond.

On 12 February 2026, Tolashe replied, writing that she "deeply regretted" the delay and that she "deeply respects the Constitutional role of Parliament as the supreme body for accountability".

Tolashe answered "No" to the question of whether she had been given the two cars.

"The vehicles were donated to the African National...