Hill-Lewis makes bold moves, reshuffling cabinet roles with 'misplaced' Steenhuisen

Political analysts have said that DA leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, replacing John Steenhuisen as minister of Agriculture, has less to do with internal fights and more with him wanting to carve out his own lane, and making sure people deliver on their promise of “the DA difference”. 

Early on Wednesday, Hill-Lewis announced that after careful assessment of the DA’s team in the Government of National Unity (GNU), he wrote to President Ramaphosa setting out several changes to the Democratic Alliance’s representation in Cabinet.

“It is my judgement that the renewed team announced today will strengthen the DA’s contribution to government and give better effect to the mandate received from 3.5 million voters in the 2024 elections,” he said.

The changes include: minister Willie Aucamp will be replacing John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture. Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier will take up the position of minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Steenhuisen will replace Alexandra Abrahams as deputy minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, while she moves to the role of deputy minister of Electricity and Energy.

Yusuf Cassim, who has served on the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, will be appointed deputy minister of Higher Education and Training. Jack Bloom, the longest-serving member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, will take up the position of deputy minister of Water and Sanitation.

“These changes demonstrate Democratic Alliance values in action. We believe in accountability in public office, high standards of performance, and responsiveness to the needs of South Africans. 

“It is my firm expectation that each person representing the DA in government must unmistakably demonstrate the ‘DA difference’ in action. That requires government rooted in our philosophical outlook, with higher standards of public service, and absolute commitment to integrity,” Hill-Lewis said.

When asked if Steenhuisen’s reshuffling could point to infighting, political analyst Professor Dirk Kotzé said that there are elements of that present. 

“I think the fact that there is now a new leadership after the elective congress means that Hill-Lewis now wants to present his own team, establish his own team in the national executive.

“He not only wants to be seen as Steenhuisen’s successor, but also that he has his own choices, his own preferences, and his own way in which he wants to structure the executive on behalf of the DA,” he said.

Kotzé said that the other side of the matter is that there was a process of reviewing the DA's ministers and deputy ministers, which was done by Ryan Coetzee.

“As I understand it, it was done under his guidance through this assessment process of the performance of all of these members. I think it has also been done in view of the coming local government elections.

“The clear message is that the DA wants to practice what they preach, and that is if ministers are not performing, they must be removed, or change to other positions,” Kotzé said.

Professor André Duvenhage said that Steenhuisen was replaced because he was bad at his job. He said that what we had seen was highly expected, but it was also part of a more comprehensive change within the DA representation within the GNU.

“I believe the main factor there was the position of Steenhuisen, but it was addressed in a comprehensive way. Steenhuisen is being replaced by Aucamp, which I believe is a sound decision. Aucamp is a bit of a negotiator. He's an Afrikaner; he can create better relationships with farming organisations, agricultural organisations, the farming community, and so on,” said Duvenhage.

Duvenhage said that Steenhuisen’s new position is “a bit of a lifeline for him”. 

“I think Steenhuisen acknowledged the fact that he underperformed in his portfolio, and he's glad to accept this new position, and being given a lifeline to survive politically. I think that is what it is, more or less. I'm not picking up a fight between Steenhuisen and Hill-Lewis. 

“Rather, I'm seeing Hill-Lewis for the first time, coming forward and making strong decisions,” he said.

Political analyst, Professor Lesiba Teffo, said that it is not unusual that when a leader takes a new leader takes off the reins of power, he would want to assert his authority.

“He's part of the party, but he has a certain way in which he thinks the party can save the people, strengthen itself, and advance his prospects of success.

“I sense that Steenhuisen was misplaced as a minister of agriculture. He could have done better in other positions, right? It (agriculture) was too complicated for him. The agriculture sector was never happy with him.

“The constituency he was supposed to serve was not happy with him,” Teffo said.

While the analysts have acknowledged that the decision of the changes rests with the president, Teffo said that there is not much he can do about it. 

“Remember, on paper, the appointment to the executive is a prerogative of the president. That said, we are in a very unique space. It's a coalition government. It's a government of national unity.

“A party deploys those whom they think can do better. So, he cannot go and say in their DA, I want X or Z. He's still bound by the agreement that each party signed.”

The presidency was contacted for comment, but has yet to reply.

[email protected]