John Steenhuisen (Photo: PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)
It could not be otherwise.
John Steenhuisen simply had to be removed as minister of agriculture, say experts.
André Duvenhage, political analyst, believes that Geordin Hill-Lewis, as the new federal leader of the DA, made a good, strategic move to request that Steenhuisen be removed as minister of agriculture, especially in the run-up to the municipal elections in November.
Prof. Theo Neethling, political analyst, also says that Hill-Lewis actually had no other choice but to post Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen has become an albatross around the DA’s neck.
Maroela Media reported earlier that Hill-Lewis had meanwhile offered Steenhuisen the position of deputy minister of trade, industry and competition. Steenhuisen has already indicated that he accepts the position.
The experts believe that Steenhuisen himself did not have much of a choice other than to accept the deputy minister post.
“I literally think it was this or nothing. And by nothing I just mean an ordinary member of parliament. So this is undoubtedly the better option,” Duvenhage believes.
Hill-Lewis takes a strong stand
Duvenhage suspects that Steenhuisen was offered a deputy minister post to reduce tension in the DA and maintain his loyal participation.
“At least he was the DA’s leader and he didn’t do everything wrong.”
Duvenhage points out that there has been a culture within the DA for a very long time – from the days of Tony Leon and Helen Zille – to make difficult decisions under difficult circumstances. This could also be seen with the Mmusi Maimane episode.
Maimane resigned as leader of the DA in October 2019 after an internal investigation found that he was largely responsible for the party’s disappointing performance in the 2019 general election.
“So, I think Geordin Hill-Lewis acts within the tradition and culture of the DA.”
Geordin Hill-Lewis (Photo: Christine Oelofse/Maroela Media)
Duvenhage says that with Hill-Lewis’s acceptance speech when he was elected federal leader in April, he already noticed that Hill-Lewis is prepared to take a strong position and carry it out and maintain it consistently.
“So I think he is a leader, even though he is young and in some ways inexperienced. I think he has already made one or two mistakes, but one of his qualities is that he is prepared to take a strong stand. We have already seen this during his term as mayor of Cape Town.”
Hill-Lewis also took a strong stand and remained steadfast during Cape Town’s chaotic minibus taxi strike in August 2023.
“For me, this is indicative of a DA leader who is prepared to take strong positions and dig his heels into the ground, if necessary,” Duvenhage believes.
“We have to face the facts. Steenhuisen failed, at least from the farmers’ point of view, with his handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
“I do think he is willing to admit his mistakes. And if you ask me, I think he might, in a way, be grateful that he is being freed from this problem.”
‘Steenhuisen snooker’
Neethling thinks Steenhuisen’s political career may be over. “It’s not impossible at all. I’m afraid he’s snookered where he’s going to sit now.”
Neethling says that Steenhuisen did not stand for election again as leader of the DA precisely because of the crisis surrounding BKS. “Agriculture cost him that job.”
However, Neethling believes that it already started to go wrong for Steenhuisen with the establishment of the government of national unity (GNE) when he was appointed as minister of agriculture and not as minister of trade and industry and competition.
Steenhuisen apparently initially aimed for this position.
Neethling believes that shortly after his appointment as Minister of Agriculture, Steenhuisen already made a “huge mistake” with his initial appointment of Roman Cabanac as his chief of staff.
And then the foot and mouth situation just kept getting worse.
Neethling explains that the outbreak put great pressure on Steenhuisen as minister. However, the big problem came when the Department of Agriculture did not want to give up its monopoly on foot-and-mouth disease vaccines, explains Neethling.
“I think it was a huge mistake… Steenhuisen should have involved the private sector better.
“Steenhuisen’s handling of the outbreak not only brought him into conflict with his own party but also with the public. So, he lost the battle in his own party and with the public.”
(Photo: John Steenhuisen/Facebook)
Aucamp ‘good choice’
Maroela Media has already reported that Hill-Lewis asked the president, among other things, that Willie Aucamp replace Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture.
Duvenhage considers Aucamp to be a good choice for the portfolio. “I read him as a clever politician. He is someone who keeps his word.”
Duvenhage says that Aucamp himself has interests in the agricultural industry, which means that he is not unknown in the farming community.
“I think he is a good person to do damage control. I want to give the DA credit for appointing an Afrikaner to talk to the farmers.”
Maroela Media has learned that Hill-Lewis has already instructed Aucamp, as the DA’s new proposed minister of agriculture, to immediately settle pending litigation regarding BKS and enter into discussions with agricultural organizations about the outbreak.
Duvenhage says this would also be his “no. 1 priority” should he find himself in Aucamp’s new position.
“Restore relations with the farmers before the 2026 local elections. The DA must fight an election and not everything goes smoothly at all levels… This is not a time to make new enemies. This is the time to win friends and I think Willie is quite suitable for that.”
Neethling does think it’s a shame that Aucamp will no longer be the minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment. He was appointed to this position in November last year.
“From a government point of view, it is a shame that he is removed so quickly, because you want continuity in a particular department. He now suddenly has to work with a new director-general and a new official.
But Willie Aucamp knows what the problem is and he knows what to do.
Willie Aucamp, new minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment. (Photo: Provided)