POLITICS - Former DA leader John Steenhuisen has dropped political bombshells, blasting his Cabinet demotion under Geordin Hill-Lewis, defending himself over the party’s salary scandal, and warning of fractures inside the party.
The DA reshuffled its Cabinet team in the Government of National Unity (GNU) earlier this month, demoting Agriculture Minister Steenhuisen to deputy minister as Hill-Lewis unveiled sweeping changes to sharpen the party’s role in governance and honour the mandate of 3.5 million voters.
An official cabinet reshuffles has yet to be announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Steenhuisen removal
Insiders say Steenhuisen’s removal may have been decided months before the reshuffle, with discussions about redeploying him beginning shortly after Hill-Lewis succeeded him as leader.
Anger brewed among some DA members over the way the decision was handled, with discontent centring on an agreement that Steenhuisen would remain in agriculture if he did not run for another term as leader.
“Baying mob of hyenas”
Now, Steenhuisen has spoken out, accusing Hill-Lewis of betrayal. “He gave my head to a baying mob of hyenas,” Steenhuisen charged, adding: “The hyenas have been circling for months, waiting for the moment to pounce. And now they’ve torn me down.”
Confirming his demotion from Minister of Agriculture to Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Steenhuisen described the move as a humiliating setback.
“It’s a demotion, plain and simple. I’ve been pushed aside,” he told News24, accusing party insiders of orchestrating his downfall.
DA response
Hill-Lewis’s spokesperson told The Citizen that the DA leader “will not be commenting” beyond stressing his focus on strengthening the party.
“We are building a party capable of winning a national election and earning the trust of millions who have never voted for us before. That means doing what is right, not what is easy, Hill-Lewis said.
“South Africa needs leaders with grit, persistence and the courage to face hard decisions – because only that will get our country working.”
DA donor funds
Steenhuisen also defended himself against a leaked report showing he received monthly “top-up” payments from DA donor funds.
“These were not undeclared salaries. I did nothing wrong,” he insisted, arguing that the controversy had been weaponised against him.
No betrayal
Hill-Lewis denied betraying Steenhuisen and told the Sunday Times that his decision was made in the best interests of the DA and the GNU.
“I think personal relationships always make it an incredibly tough space, and this one particularly so,” he said.
“But my loyalty is to the public and to the voters and to this historic course that we have to build a government in [South Africa] that can get our country working. That is what motivates me and inspires me every day, and that is where my higher loyalty is.”
‘Tony Leon’s decision’
Steenhuisen suggested former DA leader Tony Leon had influenced Hill-Lewis’s decision.
“Tony Leon has been pulling strings. This was never about performance, but politics,” he said. He further claimed external forces had played a role. “The AfriMAGA mob has been baying for blood, and Hill-Lewis has given them mine.”
Destabilising the DA
The fallout comes after farmers and opposition parties celebrated his removal from agriculture, citing his handling of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.
Steenhuisen, however, warned that sidelining him could destabilise the DA’s position in the GNU.
“This reshuffle risks weakening the DA’s hand in coalition politics,” he cautioned.
Committed
Despite the bitterness, Steenhuisen insisted he remained committed to the party’s mission.
“I’ve given my life to the DA. But betrayal, broken promises, and hidden hands have brought us here,” he said.
Hill-Lewis framed the reshuffle as part of a broader strategy to sharpen the DA’s impact in governance and deliver on the mandate of 3.5 million voters.
But Steenhuisen’s explosive remarks – especially his “hyenas” metaphor – have exposed deep tensions within the party. “I’ve been pushed aside, but I won’t be silenced,” he declared.
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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