A bitter conflict is unfolding between social growth minister Sisisi Tolashe and her predecessor, Lindiwe Zulu, over DSDTV — an in-house communications channel that’s claimed to have saved the division of social growth (DSD) hundreds of thousands.
The platform, now suspended and underneath investigation, has change into the newest flashpoint in a division beset by monetary controversies.
Tolashe informed parliament final week that DSDTV, launched in July 2023 underneath Zulu, was launched with no marketing strategy, operated for almost two years with out correct monitoring, and had been characterised by the questionable appointment of assorted service suppliers.
She stated the auditor-general had uncovered the “potential mismanagement of public funds on DSDTV”, prompting her to droop the channel pending a proper investigation into it.
The suspension got here after a Sunday Occasions exposé of DSDTV’s wasteful spending, together with a controversial R3m journey to a UN occasion in New York.
Two months after that report, former communications head Lumka Oliphant — a key driver behind DSDTV — was suspended over alleged mismanagement of the built-in justice programme and unauthorised expenditure on DSDTV. She was later dismissed with no disciplinary listening to.
Zulu has responded angrily, accusing Tolashe of deceptive parliament and casting doubt on the integrity of the advisers concerned within the challenge from the outset.
“I don’t wish to be accused of interfering or making an attempt to rule from the grave, however what the minister stated is disturbing,” Zulu informed the Sunday Occasions.
“I do know that procedures and protocols have been adopted each step of the best way from day one. These exact same advisers who have been concerned firstly are nonetheless there at present. Why have they modified their tales? Did they advise the minister wrongly?”
Oliphant has accused Tolashe of mendacity to parliament.
These exact same advisers who have been concerned firstly are nonetheless there at present. Why have they modified their tales?
— Lindiwe Zulu, former social growth minister
“It’s clear that Sisisi Tolashe has [had] to maintain the lie,” Oliphant informed the Sunday Occasions.
“She is doing it by mendacity to parliament and compromising herself within the course of. Parliament must summon all of us, together with myself, and [peruse] each doc about DSDTV.”
On the coronary heart of the battle is whether or not DSDTV — an over-the-top (OTT) digital platform offering free video, photographic and information content material — was correctly justified and monitored, or whether or not it turned an unchecked challenge funded by public cash.
Responding to parliamentary questions from ActionSA MP Dereleen James, Tolashe stated no cost-benefit evaluation had been finished to justify DSDTV or assess its efficiency.
“So far, no monitoring and analysis has been finished to quantify the attain, value-for-money, effectiveness and effectivity of DSDTV because it was launched,” she informed parliament.
James requested the DSD to account for spending on the platform and supply the enterprise case.
Tolashe detailed the prices: R1.5m for {hardware}, R1m for the platform, R500,000 for live-streaming gear, R1.04m to service supplier Vula Join in 2023/24 and R937,548 in 2024/25, and R1.1m to the Axab Group within the present monetary 12 months.
DSDTV was piloted in July 2023 by Zulu as a staff-driven initiative to speak South African Social Safety Company (Sassa) notices and departmental information extra effectively. On the launch of the challenge, she stated it was not meant to compete with mainstream media, however quite to enhance it by offering it with free usable content material.
“We’re not in competitors with mainstream media,” Zulu stated. “Newsrooms are shrinking and broadcasting is dear, and we at the moment are in a position to inform our tales and ship out data in a approach that [allows the media to use it].”
The platform was credited with overlaying the Brics summit, worldwide baby repatriation instances, and different authorities occasions that have been then disseminated by native and worldwide media.
Zulu stated the choice to introduce the platform was additionally motivated by the DSD’s reliance on the federal government communication & data system, which value it R29m between 2020 and 2022 for content material providers. A lot of this materials was by no means broadcast. In distinction, DSDTV value about R1m a 12 months and used DSD employees.
“This isn’t a conceit challenge,” Zulu stated. “It is a chance for us to speak our mandate and message on to our individuals. We won’t block criticism or detrimental experiences, and we’re open to being utilized by NGOs and NPOs to showcase their work too.”
James stated she had raised the matter as a result of she was involved about DSD priorities.
“Spending hundreds of thousands on a channel makes completely no sense when we now have extra urgent points to take care of,” she stated. “Rehab centres are being shut down, and there’s a dire want for social employees throughout the nation.”
Whereas the quantities spent on DSDTV are modest in comparison with different DSD scandals, the problem has change into politically charged.
Current controversies embrace R100m for gender-based violence (GBV) programmes that have been redirected with out correct oversight, the alleged misappropriation of R536m from social grants between 2012 and 2022, and R215m in irregular expenditure incurred by the Gauteng DSD in 2024/25 alone.
Paperwork seen by the Sunday Occasions point out that earlier draft responses ready for Tolashe supported DSDTV’s approval and enterprise case, however that these have been changed with the ultimate parliamentary model noting the absence of a marketing strategy.
Performing DSD communications head Sandy Godlwana dismissed the draft as “deceptive” and stated the leak was an try by officers “to cowl their tracks”.
“No analysis was performed,” she stated, including that DSDTV was subsequently suspended and underneath investigation. The probe into the platform was anticipated to be concluded earlier than the tip of the monetary 12 months in April 2026.
