President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe in a dramatic Cabinet shake-up that follows weeks of mounting political pressure and controversy surrounding allegations linked to luxury vehicle donations and governance concerns within the department.

The Presidency announced on Thursday that Tolashe had been removed from office in terms of Section 91(2) of the Constitution. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has been appointed as acting Minister of Social Development pending a permanent appointment.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed the dismissal in a brief statement issued on Thursday afternoon.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 91(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, removed Minister Sisisi Tolashe from the position of Minister of Social Development,” the statement read.

The dismissal comes after sustained criticism from opposition parties and civil society organisations over allegations involving luxury SUVs reportedly received from Chinese officials as part of the so-called “Cars-for-Cadres” scandal.

ActionSA has been at the forefront of calls for Tolashe to be fired, intensifying pressure on the President through parliamentary questions, ethics complaints and criminal charges.

In a statement released after the announcement, ActionSA described the dismissal as a “victory for accountability” and claimed credit for exposing the scandal.

The party said it was ActionSA that first uncovered allegations that Tolashe had received two SUVs from Chinese officials and had allegedly failed to properly disclose them to Parliament.

ActionSA further accused the former minister of misleading Parliament and engaging in what it described as an “elaborate cover-up” regarding the vehicles.

The party said it subsequently laid criminal charges of corruption on 8 April, filed an ethics complaint with Parliament over alleged disclosure breaches, and submitted a complaint to the Public Protector for alleged violations of the Executive Ethics Act.

ActionSA argued that Tolashe’s dismissal should not be the end of the matter and called for further legal consequences.

“The former Minister must face the full and heavy might of the law,” the party said, while also demanding that she be denied loss-of-office gratuity payments and face deductions from her government pension.

The party used the development to renew calls for its proposed Zero Tolerance Corruption Bill, which would impose minimum prison sentences of 15 years for corruption-related offences.

ActionSA also criticised the Government of National Unity, saying the fact that sustained pressure was required before action was taken reflected a broader failure of accountability within Cabinet.

The dismissal has been widely welcomed by opposition parties and organisations across the political spectrum, many describing it as a necessary step toward restoring public trust in government.

RISE Mzansi said the removal of Tolashe was necessary to restore confidence in a department responsible for serving the country’s most vulnerable citizens.

The party said controversies surrounding the minister, including the alleged irregular appointment of an unqualified chief of staff and questions around luxury vehicle donations, had become a major distraction.

RISE Mzansi said the Social Development Department manages nearly R300 billion in public funds and requires leadership grounded in integrity and transparency.

The party added that the Government of National Unity could only succeed if accountability became “the standard, not the exception.”

Democratic Alliance also welcomed the decision, saying the President had finally acted after “relentless pressure” from the party for Tolashe’s removal.

The DA said Tolashe’s continued presence in Cabinet had become untenable and called on Ramaphosa to urgently appoint a permanent minister capable of restoring stability and credibility to the department.

“South Africans deserve a competent and credible Minister who can lead this critical department with integrity, stability and a clear focus on serving vulnerable people who depend on its support,” the party said.

Meanwhile, Forum for South Africa (FOSA) described the dismissal as confirmation that public office bearers must be held accountable.

FOSA national leader Tebogo Mashilompane said the organisation had consistently maintained that Tolashe was unfit for office.

“This development must serve as a clear message to all public officials: positions of authority are not shields against accountability,” Mashilompane said.

FOSA further called for investigations and possible legal action where wrongdoing may have occurred.

Tolashe’s removal marks one of the most significant political developments within the Government of National Unity in recent months and raises fresh questions about ethical governance and accountability in Cabinet.

Attention will now turn to Ramaphosa’s next move as pressure mounts for the appointment of a permanent Social Development Minister capable of restoring public confidence in one of government’s most critical departments.