Tolashe’s SUV scandal deepens as replacement vehicle and missing funds emerge

Key facts

• Minister Sisisi Tolashe accepted two BAIC X55 SUVs as donations from Chinese officials in late 2023.
• She registered the white SUV in son Nanilethu’s name and the yellow SUV in daughter Kanyisa’s name on 15 April 2024.
• On 25 April 2026, Tolashe delivered a white BAIC X55 and a green Chery Jaecoo J7 to Luthuli House, not the original yellow BAIC.
• Kanyisa Tolashe sold the original yellow BAIC X55 in October 2025 and replaced it with the Chery Jaecoo J7, registered in her name.
• Tolashe told the ANC Integrity Commission she registered the vehicles in her children’s names to ‘safeguard’ them from creditors.
• Multiple ANC Women’s League insiders say the donations were never disclosed to the league by Tolashe, its president.
• Former spokesperson Lumka Oliphant accused Tolashe of diverting attention from allegations of misappropriation.
• Tolashe did not respond directly to the allegations but blamed Oliphant for leaking information to the media.

Two SUVs, one missing link

Late on Friday, 24 April, two luxury Chinese SUVs were driven into the parking lot of the African National Congress headquarters at Luthuli House. News quickly spread that Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe had delivered the vehicles she accepted as a donation from Chinese officials in late 2023. But an investigation has revealed that only one of the two SUVs was the original gift. The second vehicle was a different model entirely — a green Chery Jaecoo J7 — obtained by Tolashe’s daughter Kanyisa as a replacement for the yellow BAIC X55 she had received from her mother but sold in October 2025. Vehicle registration records show the white BAIC X55 remains registered in son Nanilethu Tolashe’s name, while the Chery Jaecoo is registered under Kanyisa Tolashe’s ownership. The discrepancy raises fresh questions about the minister’s handling of the donations, which she had told the ANC’s Integrity Commission were meant for the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL). Tolashe said she registered the vehicles in her children’s names to “safeguard” them from creditors — an explanation that multiple ANCWL insiders have disputed, stating the donations were never disclosed to the league.

A donation that bypassed the ANCWL

Tolashe is the president of the ANC Women’s League, but according to league insiders, she never informed the body about the two BAIC X55 SUVs she accepted from Chinese officials. The vehicles were intended to support ANCWL operations, yet they were registered in the names of her children within days of each other on 15 April 2024. The ANCWL’s silence on the matter has deepened suspicions that Tolashe acted unilaterally. When Daily Maverick sought comment from the Department of Social Development, queries were redirected to ANCWL spokesperson Boitumelo Moiloa, who did not respond. Neither Kanyisa Tolashe nor ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula replied to requests for comment. The episode underscores a pattern of opacity around the minister’s financial dealings, as she faces mounting allegations of maladministration and misappropriation.

A former spokesperson hits back

As the SUV story gained traction, Tolashe accused her former spokesperson, Lumka Oliphant, of orchestrating a smear campaign. In a statement, the minister did not directly address the allegations about the vehicles or their registration, instead focusing on Oliphant’s alleged role in leaking information to the media. Oliphant, however, rejected the accusation and insisted the minister should come clean. “It is a pity that she chooses to be the one who diverts attention on the multiple things that she needs to account for,” Oliphant said. She listed other controversies: “I did not appoint an unqualified person in my office. I did not defy Cabinet and the president by giving the Director-General a five-year contract, against the one year that was recommended.” The exchange has turned the spotlight on Tolashe’s broader record, including her management of the Department of Social Development and her compliance with government protocols.

Timeline of a scandal

The sequence of events reveals a trail of questionable decisions. In late 2023, Tolashe accepted two BAIC X55 SUVs from Chinese officials. By April 2024, both vehicles were registered in her children’s names. In October 2025, Kanyisa Tolashe sold the yellow BAIC X55. By April 2026, when Tolashe delivered the SUVs to Luthuli House, the yellow BAIC had been replaced by a green Chery Jaecoo J7. Vehicle registration records obtained through number plates confirm the ownership chain. The white BAIC remains registered to Nanilethu Tolashe; the Chery Jaecoo is registered to Kanyisa Tolashe. The original yellow BAIC is no longer in the family’s possession. The timeline suggests that Tolashe’s effort to return the vehicles was incomplete and potentially misleading, as she substituted one asset with another without public explanation.

Political fallout and parliamentary scrutiny

The scandal has triggered calls for investigation. The Democratic Alliance has asked the Public Service Committee to probe Tolashe’s conduct, including the nanny corruption allegations and the SUV affair. Attempts by MPs to quiz the minister over maladministration claims were shut down, prompting accusations of a cover-up. Tolashe has also called for urgent national action to protect children, a move critics see as an attempt to change the subject. The minister’s credibility is further strained by the revelation that her daughter took half her salary, according to earlier reports. The ANC has not publicly commented on the matter, but the party’s Integrity Commission is likely to revisit Tolashe’s explanation. The scandal threatens to undermine the ANCWL’s reputation and raises questions about the party’s internal oversight.

What comes next

The Public Service Committee may summon Tolashe to testify, and the ANC’s Integrity Commission could reopen its inquiry. The minister faces pressure to explain why the vehicles were not declared, why they were registered in her children’s names, and why a replacement vehicle was delivered without disclosure. Meanwhile, Oliphant has signaled she will not back down, and further leaks may emerge. The Democratic Alliance has vowed to keep the issue in the public eye, while civil society groups demand accountability. For Tolashe, the immediate challenge is to regain control of a narrative that has slipped away. The SUV scandal, once a side note, has become a symbol of a broader pattern of alleged misconduct that threatens her political future.

The bottom line

• Minister Sisisi Tolashe accepted two BAIC X55 SUVs as donations but registered them in her children’s names, not the ANC Women’s League.
• One of the original SUVs was sold by her daughter and replaced with a different model, which was delivered to ANC headquarters.
• Tolashe accused former spokesperson Lumka Oliphant of a smear campaign; Oliphant countered that the minister should account for multiple allegations.
• The Democratic Alliance has asked the Public Service Committee to investigate Tolashe’s conduct, including the SUV affair and other maladministration claims.
• Parliamentary attempts to quiz Tolashe were blocked, fueling suspicions of a cover-up.
• The scandal raises questions about internal ANC oversight and the minister’s fitness for office.