DA to open corruption case against Tolashe over redirected vehicle donation

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is expected to open a corruption case against Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe on Thursday over a donation of vehicles to the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) that she allegedly redirected to her children.

It comes just two weeks after ActionSA filed its complaint at the Cape Town Police Station, prompting the party to criticise the DA for wasting public resources, for doing the same.

Tolashe has been embroiled in a storm over the vehicles in recent weeks, which she has reportedly explained to the ANC’s Integrity Commission as her protecting the party’s assets from possible seizure due to financial troubles it was experiencing at the time.

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ActionSA Member of Parliament (MP) Dereleen James laid a criminal complaint against Tolashe in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act after the Daily Maverick revealed that it appeared she registered the donated vehicles in the names of her two children, instead of the ANCWYL for whom they were intended.

Both ActionSA and the DA followed up their criminal complaints with grievances to Parliament’s Ethics Committee and the Public Protector.

Over the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that Tolashe has explained to the ANC that she did not declare the donated vehicles to Parliament because they were merely in her family’s possession for safekeeping.

Now, DA MP Nazley Sharif said she will ask the South African Police Service (SAPS) to conduct a full and independent investigation regarding the registration of the vehicles.

But ActionSA has slammed the DA for duplicating its work and said the party is clawing for relevance.

ActionSA said it will happily share details of the investigating officer so that any supplementary information the DA has can be added to an existing investigation.

Meanwhile, ActionSA said it’s actively pursuing further leads and working to expose other ministers believed to be connected to this scandal.

A Daily Maverick expose has also pointed fingers at Minister Maropene Ramokgopa, who is alleged to have also received vehicles that have been used by her son, mother and a close acquaintance.