John Steenhuisen, outgoing leader of the DA. (Photo: Christine Oelofse/Maroela Media)
“There are some things that I have achieved and some things that I have not achieved. And of course this is the time to reflect on them.
“But one thing I can say with my hand on my heart is that I am giving the party to the new leader in a much better shape than the one I received in 2019,” John Steenhuisen, outgoing federal leader of the DA, told Maroela Media on Sunday for the last time as leader of the DA.
“The DA is now an electoral force of epic proportions.
“Nobody talks about the future of the country without putting the DA at the center of it. And I think that’s quite an achievement,” Steenhuisen said, a few hours before he was to hand over the leadership of the party to a new leader.
After that, Steenhuisen will continue to form an integral part of the party as a DA MP and a minister.
“I love my party very much and I love my country very much and I will serve them both.”
However, all his attention will have to shift to his portfolio as minister of agriculture after Sunday, Steenhuisen explained to Maroela.
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is certainly his biggest challenge right now – as well as the fierce criticism of his handling of the outbreak so far.
“This is now the priority – to vaccinate as many cattle as possible as soon as possible,” Steenhuisen told Maroela Media on Sunday morning.
John Steenhuisen, outgoing leader of the DA. (Photo: Christine Oelofse/Maroela Media)
Another priority will then be to create opportunities for the export of red meat. “In less than two years we want to open up opportunities that were closed for 20 years. This will make a big difference to our farmers at ground level.
“We saw with citrus that farmers can earn good money if there are opportunities for export. And our red meat producers and farmers do not have those opportunities at the moment,” Steenhuisen explained to Maroela Media on Sunday.
DA and the RNE
As for Steenhuisen, at this stage there are no plans to withdraw from the RNE. “For the first time in 30 years, we have a government that works for the people.”
Steenhuisen says that the DA’s ministers are currently making very important reforms to their respective portfolios. He then refers specifically to the good progress that Leon Schreiber is making as Minister of the Interior in this department.
This is why the DA aims to be the largest party in that government with the next RNE after the 2029 national election.
“If we can become the largest party, and there are all indications that we might be able to do it, we can make reforms happen faster.”
One thing remains certain, however, and that is that the ANC will never govern again, says Steenhuisen.
“The days of a one-party majority are over. We will never again – well, in my lifetime – see a majority government. This is the era of coalitions.”