Geordin’s power play rocks the DA

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis’ move to trigger a Cabinet reshuffle and demote his predecessor, John Steenhuisen, to a deputy ministry has rattled the party’s caucus, with some MPs accusing the leader of making key decisions behind closed doors.

Sunday World has learnt that MPs and senior party insiders are questioning Hill-Lewis’ leadership after his public request to President Cyril Ramaphosa to reshuffle the DA’s ministers and deputy ministers, which some first heard about in the media.

A WhatsApp message prominent DA MP Emma Powell posted in a caucus group after the reshuffle details emerged revealed the level of discontent.

In the message, which Sunday World has seen, Powell accused party leaders of betraying Steenhuisen after years of service to the organisation.

“The expediency and sheer scale of betrayal here is head-spinning. John gave the best years of his life to carrying this party through thick and through thin,” Powell wrote to fellow caucus members.

Powell declined to discuss the message, saying it formed part of confidential internal party discussions.

Sources say Steenhuisen agreed not to seek a third term as DA leader, on the understanding that he would continue serving in government for the duration of the government of national unity’s (GNU) term.

Hill-Lewis’ request to move him from a Cabinet post to a deputy ministerial position has become a source of tension.

If approved by Ramaphosa, the reshuffle will see Willie Aucamp replace Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture and Steenhuisen demoted to the position of deputy minister of trade, industry and competition.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier is set to become minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment. Alexandra Abrahams will move to the electricity and energy portfolio as deputy minister, Eastern Cape DA leader Yusuf Cassim has been nominated for deputy minister of higher education and training to replace Mimi Gondwe and Gauteng DA stalwart Jack Bloom is expected to become deputy minister of water and sanitation.

Hill-Lewis said Aucamp’s focus would be tackling the foot-and-mouth disease crisis and restoring confidence in the agricultural sector, where Steenhuisen has come under scrutiny.

Some insiders said the backlash has less to do with who was appointed than with how the decisions were made.

“The issue is process,” said a senior party insider. “Decisions were taken by a very small group and then presented as a fait accompli. The national caucus found out through the media.”

Several MPs said they became aware of the reshuffle after reports surfaced online, despite the matter being discussed in party structures.

The controversy has been further fuelled by claims that Hill-Lewis interviewed DA MPs while assessing candidates for ministerial and deputy ministerial positions.

Multiple insiders said the process left some MPs with the impression that the party leadership had concluded that the caucus did not have enough suitable candidates for promotion to the national executive. The perception has intensified frustrations over the decision to draw heavily from provincial legislatures for new appointments.

“People are asking whether this means Geordin believes the talent isn’t in Parliament. If that’s the view, members want to know why,” said an insider.

However, another senior DA source argued that much of the backlash stemmed from disappointed expectations rather than objections to the appointments themselves.

“MPs are indeed unhappy but naturally many thought they would be considered for promotion, so going outside the parliamentary caucus has rubbed some people the wrong way.”

The source described some of the criticism as political entitlement. “Nothing restricts the leader to choosing people from Parliament. Talent in the party is much bigger than the parliamentary caucus. He interviewed people within the caucus and felt the candidates from outside Parliament were the strongest fit.”

The source said Hill-Lewis had spent months assessing ministers, deputy ministers and MPs before making a decision. The Federal Executive first considered the proposal on Monday before reconvening at 7am on Wednesday. On the same day, Hill-Lewis unveiled the sweeping overhaul of the DA’s GNU contingent, saying the changes followed a “careful assessment” of the party’s performance in government.

Approached for comment, Hill-Lewis said he was working on building a party capable of winning the trust of millions of South Africans who have never voted for the DA before.

“For so long, our country’s leaders have turned their face away from making decisions because it is hard. Of course, it is much easier to walk past a problem or pretend it doesn’t exist, but I decline to do so, because that’s not what will get South Africa working,” he said.

Speaking in Soweto yesterday, Ramaphosa insisted that he had sole power to make changes. “In terms of our constitution, only the president can appoint ministers … finish and klaar. Anyone else who is a member or part of the GNU can only make suggestions.

“The letter that came was a letter of request, which said: ‘Mr President, we would like you to consider whether these people can be appointed.’ … Having received the letter I’m taking my time. And as I take my time I’ll take a number of issues into consideration and then I will respond. I will then make an appointment of those that I believe are fit enough to occupy such positions,” Ramaphosa told journalists.

There are also lingering questions in the DA about how details of the planned reshuffle reached the media before internal discussions had concluded.

Some insiders believe the information was leaked to signal to unhappy agricultural constituencies that Steenhuisen’s days as agriculture minister were numbered.

DA spokesperson Jan de Villiers rejected speculation about the source of the leak.

He said the Presidency received the DA’s letter the day before the party’s announcement.

 

Queenin Masuabi