South Africa: 'Slap in the Face' - Political Parties, Civil Society Slam Dina Pule's Cabinet Appointment

1 July 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Victoria O'regan

Political parties and civil society organisations are up in arms about President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to appoint Dina Pule, who was previously fired from Cabinet for unethical conduct, to helm the crucial Department of Social Development.

The non-profit organisation Corruption Watch and political parties, including the DA, ActionSA, and uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK), have slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to appoint the once-disgraced politician Dina Pule as minister of social development.

Ramaphosa announced Pule's appointment to the position on Tuesday night, 30 June, as part of other changes to his Cabinet. This comes after DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis requested a set of changes, including the removal of John Steenhuisen from his position as agriculture minister, and the DA's representation in the national executive.

Pule was appointed to replace Sisisi Tolashe, who was fired in May, after a monthslong Daily Maverick investigation exposed a series of governance failures, irregular conduct, deceit and abuse of resources at the department under her watch.

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Read more Farewell, Sisisi Tolashe, you will not be missed May 14, 2026 But Pule's return to Cabinet has not inspired hope of reform in this critical department.

It comes more than a decade after she was fired as minister of communications by the then president, Jacob Zuma, in July 2013, after Parliament's ethics committee found that she had abused her position in concealing her relationship with businessman Phosane Mngqibisa. Mngqibisa...

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