John Steenhuisen and Geordin Hill-Lewis. (Photo: DA/X)
Geordin Hill-Lewis, federal leader of the DA, has decided to remove John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture.
Steenhuisen has already been informed of this decision and has been offered a more junior position – that of deputy minister of trade, industry and competition. Steenhuisen has already indicated that he accepts the position.
However, this is not the only change that Hill-Lewis wants to make to the DA’s cabinet caucus.
Maroela Media can reveal that Hill-Lewis wrote to Pres. directed Cyril Ramaphosa and requested several changes to the DA’s cabinet caucus.
The DA’s federal council will be informed about these fluctuations on Wednesday morning.
Aucamp replaces Steenhuisen
Maroela Media learned from an impeccable source that Hill-Lewis asked the president, among other things, that Willie Aucamp replace Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture.
Maroela Media has learned that Hill-Lewis has already instructed Aucamp to, as the DA’s new proposed minister of agriculture, immediately all settle pending foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) litigation and immediately engage in discussions with agricultural organizations about the outbreak.
According to a source, after his election as DA leader in April, Hill-Lewis gave him two months before he would consider changes to the DA’s cabinet caucus.
Hill-Lewis did have discussions with all six of the DA’s ministers and six deputy ministers shortly after his election.
Steenhuisen, from whom Hill-Lewis took over as federal leader, indicated in his conversation with the new federal leader that he still wants to achieve certain targets as minister of agriculture. At that stage, Steenhuisen was already heavily criticized for his handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
Geordin Hill-Lewis has decided to remove John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture. (Photo: John Steenhuisen/Facebook)
Hill-Lewis nevertheless granted Steenhuisen two months to meet the targets.
It is now two months later and a lot has happened in the meantime as far as the agricultural portfolio is concerned.
In May, the Pretoria High Court ruled against Steenhuisen and the department and ordered that farmers may purchase and administer the FMD vaccine themselves.
Then there was also the controversial email that Jana le Roux, Steenhuisen’s chief of staff, mistakenly sent and which was widely distributed on social media.
Hill-Lewis finally made the decision to remove Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture.
This is how Hill-Lewis continues to change his cabinet
Maroela Media can confirm that David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Education, has been appointed Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in Aucamp’s place at the request of Hill-Lewis.
Alexandra Abrahams, deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, will then move from this position to the department of energy and electricity to make room for Steenhuisen (as deputy minister).
Abrahams will replace Samantha Graham-Maré as deputy minister of energy and electricity and Graham-Maré will no longer serve on the executive authority.
Jack Bloom, the DA’s spokesperson for health in Gauteng, is joining the executive. Bloom will replace Isaac Seitlholo as Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation.
Mimmy Gondwe will in turn be removed as deputy minister of higher education. Gondwe is replaced with Yusuf Cassim, currently the DA’s provincial chairman in the Eastern Cape and member of the provincial legislature in the Eastern Cape.
Willie Aucamp will replace John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture. (Photo: Provided)