ActionSA has opened a criminal case against Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe and lodged complaints with the Public Protector and Parliament’s Ethics Committee over allegations that she failed to declare luxury gifts worth a reported one million rand from Chinese officials.

The opposition party announced the actions yesterday, accusing the minister of lying to Parliament to conceal the alleged receipt of two SUVs.

Dereleen James, an ActionSA member of Parliament, said the party had filed a criminal complaint for corruption, submitted a complaint to the Public Protector for alleged breaches of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act, and laid a formal complaint with Parliament’s Ethics Committee for alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests.

The controversy centres on Tolashe’s response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA. The minister denied personally receiving a gift of two SUVs, stating instead that the vehicles were donated to the ANC Women’s League.

However, ActionSA claims this explanation contradicts available evidence. The party said the ANC Women’s League has publicly denied any knowledge of the vehicles. ActionSA also alleges that official records show the vehicles were registered in the names of the minister’s children, and that one of the vehicles has already been sold.

James said the situation presents two possibilities: either the minister received the vehicles as personal gifts and failed to declare them, or the ANC failed to declare a foreign donation of significant value to the Electoral Commission.

“The acceptance of high-value ‘gifts’ from a foreign government—particularly where those assets are concealed through family members—raises grave concerns about corruption, undue influence, and abuse of public office,” James said in the statement.

ActionSA has called for President to immediately dismiss the minister.

The party also used the announcement to promote its Zero-Tolerance Corruption Bill, which it said aims to ensure those who abuse positions of public trust face consequences.

The minister’s office had not responded to the allegations at the time of the ActionSA statement.

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