🇿🇦South AfricaSouthern Africa
DA insiders say Steenhuisen's demotion was planned months in advance
via The Citizen3 min read
John Steenhuisen's removal as minister of agriculture and subsequent redeployment as deputy minister of trade, industry and competition may have been decided months before Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, according to DA insiders. Sources indicate that discussions about his redeployment began shortly after Geordin Hill-Lewis succeeded him as DA leader two months ago. The reshuffle, which saw Willie Aucamp move to the agriculture portfolio, was reportedly part of Hill-Lewis’s plans for the party’s government of national unity team. While Hill-Lewis praised Steenhuisen’s record, particularly in expanding export market access and vaccine procurement during the foot-and-mouth disease FMD crisis, insiders suggested the assessment focused on current performance. Political analyst Prof Theo Neethling described the move as “pure DA damage control,” suggesting an attempt to repair relationships strained during the FMD debacle. Despite an increase in the DA’s electoral support under Steenhuisen’s leadership, several insiders expressed growing frustration with his leadership style, describing it as “distant from colleagues” and “arrogant.” Neethling noted that Steenhuisen’s handling of the FMD crisis, particularly his insistence on a state-controlled approach, alienated many farmers and agricultural organizations, who felt private facilities could have assisted. Agricultural lobbyist Theo de Jager also commented on the move, noting that a minister being moved to a deputy minister position r
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
Must ReadFormer president Jacob Zuma's MK party has approached the Electoral Court to contest the results of the 2024 national and provincial elections. The party argues that a two-hour blackout of the Electoral Commission of South Africa's IEC live results dashboard during the counting process may have compromised the integrity of the polls. The MK party's legal team, led by advocate Thabani Masuku, contended that the court should hear oral evidence from technical experts regarding the outage, suggesting it was an intervention rather than a system failure. The party seeks to have the 2024 general election outcome set aside and a new election date proclaimed within 90 days. The IEC's advocate, Wim Trengrove, countered that the MK party is misusing litigation norms, highlighting a prior unsuccessful application before the Constitutional Court. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo stated the commission is satisfied with the evidence presented, including system logs, to demonstrate the results system was not compromised. Mamabolo also expressed confidence in the court's determination and affirmed the MK party's constitutional right to litigate, while encouraging their supporters to register and vote in upcoming local government elections. The MK party emerged as the third-largest party in the 2024 polls, securing 15% of the national votes.
Must ReadThe Democratic Alliance DA has announced a reshuffle of its government of national unity GNU responsibilities. Party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis stated that Willie Aucamp will now serve as Minister of Agriculture, with a mandate to address legal proceedings related to foot-and-mouth disease, collaborate with the agricultural sector to resolve the crisis, and open new markets for agricultural products. David Maynier will take over Aucamp’s previous portfolio of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment. John Steenhuisen will replace Alexandra Abrahams as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, focusing on market access expansion, industrial growth, and job creation. Abrahams will transition to the role of Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy. Yusuf Cassim has been appointed Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, while Jack Bloom will become Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation. Hill-Lewis emphasized that these changes reflect the DA’s commitment to accountability, high performance standards, and responsiveness to the needs of South Africans.
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