The Department of Social Development notes with serious concern and disgust the ongoing misleading and blatant lies peddled widely in the media by its disgruntled and dismissed former spokesperson, Ms Lumka Oliphant.
Following serious allegations of potential mismanagement of public funds uncovered by the Auditor-General, Ms Oliphant was placed on precautionary suspension on 1 September 2025.
Instead of making representation against these serious allegations of mismanagement that run into millions of rands and involve questionable appointments of handpicked service providers, Ms Oliphant embarked on an expletive-laden social media ranting spree devoid of any truth, for the sole purpose of distracting the media and public from the real reasons for her precautionary suspension.
After failing to make representation on charges ranging from gross misconduct — including gross violation of security clearance, government communication policy, gross insolence, prejudicing the administration of the Department and bringing it into disrepute — Ms Oliphant was dismissed on 17 October 2025.
Again, instead of responding to the serious allegations of mismanagement of public resources and gross misconduct levelled against her, Ms Oliphant chose to divert attention by spreading blatant lies and outrageous allegations against the Department, conveniently leaving out crucial information, presumably to suit her narrative. This includes the fact that immediately after Minister Tolashe’s appointment to the Department, Ms Oliphant tried desperately to influence and sway her into appointing her to the vacant post of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Regional Executive Manager in the Western Cape without following due processes.
There is really no basis for suggestions that Ms Oliphant’s precautionary suspension or dismissal is related to any other reason than the serious allegations of mismanagement, including questionable appointments of close friends as service providers to run the much-vaunted vanity project that is DSDTV.
Everyone who follows parliamentary affairs, let alone the media, knows that parliamentary questions and replies are published in the Hansard and publicly accessible to all.
Unfortunately, in this case, the media has been caught up in the snare of false and manipulative information peddled by Ms Oliphant to divert attention from the real reasons that led to her precautionary suspension and dismissal. It is anybody’s guess as to why Ms Oliphant — who as a senior manager was duty-bound to report such allegations if they exist — chose this time of her dismissal to make fabricated and malicious allegations aimed at causing irreparable damage to the Department’s reputation.
Let it be clear that the Department shall not yield to blatant lies, especially coming from a disgruntled former employee with an axe to grind.
The fact is, Ms Oliphant, like all public service employees, was given ample opportunity to make representation and clear her name. Instead of accounting for her alleged wrongdoing, she chose to engage in public mudslinging and false whistleblowing to deceive the public. The Department rejects Ms Oliphant’s blatant lies and baseless allegations with the contempt they deserve.
The Department has also noted with serious concern and disappointment the inaccurate and misleading media reports about the so-called “suspension” of the Director-General, Mr Peter Netshipale. These reports are not only misleading but also seek to amplify Ms Oliphant’s desperate and blatant lies without holding her accountable for serious allegations of mismanagement levelled against her.
The media has a responsibility to verify claims made by false and malicious whistleblowers like Ms Oliphant, who is clearly hellbent on dragging others’ names in the mud while trying to wriggle herself out of serious allegations of misuse of public resources.
Enquiries:
Ms Sandy Godlwana
Acting Head of Communication
E-mail: SandyG@sassa.gov.za
Cell: 082 678 5634
#GovZAUpdates
