DA CRISIS: HILL-LEWIS AXES STEENHUISEN AS AGRICULTURE MINISTER, BREACHES DEAL TO KEEP HIM IN CABINET

Former DA leader John Steenhuisen, pictured during his tenure as Agriculture Minister. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove him from the post and appoint Willie Aucamp. DA sources say Steenhuisen was promised he would keep the portfolio if he did not contest for another term as leader. 

CAPE TOWN — Democratic Alliance leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has removed John Steenhuisen as Agriculture Minister, breaching an internal agreement that Steenhuisen would keep the post if he did not contest for another term as party leader.

Hill-Lewis has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting that Willie Aucamp replace Steenhuisen as Agriculture Minister. Steenhuisen will be moved to Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. Ramaphosa has not yet confirmed the Cabinet reshuffle.

DA insiders say Steenhuisen was promised he would remain Agriculture Minister if he stood down as leader. “Geordin gave him his word that he would remain minister of agriculture,” a Steenhuisen supporter told News24. The source said Steenhuisen feels “betrayed”.

The decision was made without consulting the DA caucus, according to a party source who spoke to the Sunday Times. “Nobody was consulted. Geordin made this decision, and then the federal executive meeting happened on Wednesday morning, and details were already leaking to the media while discussions were still taking place.”

DA sources told The Citizen that discussions to redeploy Steenhuisen began shortly after Hill-Lewis succeeded him as DA leader. Political analyst Prof Theo Neethling said the move follows Steenhuisen’s handling of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, which alienated farmers and agricultural organisations.

“What cost him was his insistence on handling the foot-and-mouth disease crisis in a highly state-controlled way,” Neethling said.

Hill-Lewis told the media the decision was made in the best interests of the DA and the Government of National Unity. “My loyalty is to the public and to the voters and to this historic course that we have to build a government in South Africa that can get our country working,” he said.

Steenhuisen supporters have questioned why he was not backed through the FMD crisis in the same way the party backed former federal council chairperson Helen Zille after her colonialism tweets.

The Cabinet changes are part of a broader request by Hill-Lewis to Ramaphosa to alter the GNU Cabinet. The Presidency has not confirmed whether the reshuffle will be approved.

The Azanian will follow Ramaphosa’s response.