DA insiders say Steenhuisen demotion was months in the works

John Steenhuisen’s redeployment from the agriculture ministry was decided months before Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, according to DA insiders, who say discussions began shortly after Geordin Hill-Lewis became DA leader.

Insiders point to earlier planning

According to The Citizen, sources say talks about moving Steenhuisen out of the agriculture portfolio started soon after Hill-Lewis succeeded him as party leader two months ago. Those sources told The Citizen the change followed an assessment of Steenhuisen’s performance and was part of Hill-Lewis’s plans for the party’s government of national unity (GNU) team.

“The reshuffle was part of Geordin’s thinking when he took over,” said one source, as reported by The Citizen.

What changed in the Cabinet

The reshuffle moved John Steenhuisen to the role of deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, and saw Willie Aucamp shift from the environment portfolio to agriculture, according to The Citizen.

Tensions inside the DA

The Citizen reported several insiders describing growing frustration with Steenhuisen’s leadership style and his handling of the agriculture brief. Sources used terms including “distant from colleagues” and “arrogant”, and said people felt he stopped listening.

Insiders also described the mood in the party since Hill-Lewis’s election as one of “electionitis,” saying “People are walking on eggshells. Nobody feels untouchable any more.”

Analysts and critics weigh in

Political analyst Prof Theo Neethling told The Citizen the move was “pure DA damage control.” Neethling suggested Steenhuisen’s handling of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis described as “a highly state-controlled way” “cost him,” according to The Citizen. Neethling said many in the agricultural sector believed private facilities could have helped with vaccines and disease-control measures.

The Citizen also reported that agricultural lobbyist Theo de Jager posted on X that moving a Cabinet minister to a deputy minister position “raised obvious questions about performance.”

Looking ahead

According to The Citizen, Hill-Lewis praised aspects of Steenhuisen’s record in agriculture, including efforts to expand export market access and progress on vaccine procurement during the FMD crisis, but the reshuffle appears to reflect a wider reassessment of performance within the DA’s GNU team.