Steenhuisen labels removal of Andrew Whitfield as a 'calculated assault' by Ramaphosa
Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa is not applying the same standards to African National Congress (ANC) ministers whose conduct has been called into question.
Agriculture Minister and DA leader John Steenhuisen addressing the firing of Andrew Whitfield as deputy minister during debate on the Division of Revenue Bill in Parliament on 26 June 2025. Picture: Parliament
CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has labelled the removal of Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry as a “calculated assault” and a “flagrant double standard” by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Steenhuisen went off topic in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon, using the debate on the division of revenue bill to address Whitfield’s firing for apparently going abroad on a DA trip without the president’s permission.
Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa is not applying the same standards to African National Congress (ANC) ministers whose conduct has been called into question.
Whitfield is the first Government of National Unity (GNU) minister or deputy to be fired, a move DA Steenhuisen said smacks of hypocrisy.
ALSO READ: Deputy minister Andrew Whitfield possibly axed for defying travel protocol
He said Whitfield’s correspondence to the president to travel to the United States went unanswered, as did a second letter 10 days later.
Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa acted unfairly, giving ministers Thembisile Simelane and Nobuhle Nkabane opportunities to defend questionable conduct by submitting reports to him.
"In the past, even ministers with serious Public Protector findings against them were merely admonished or had their pay docked. Yet a DA deputy minister is dismissed with the flimsiest of excuses."
Steenhuisen has suggested Whitfield has been axed for being good at his job and for challenging matters in his portfolio, such as the transformation fund and the national lottery tender.
"Are the people of South Africa expected to accept that fraudsters, corruption accused and Zondo accused are protected, while Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield is removed?"
The party has now issued Ramaphosa with a 48-hour ultimatum to reinstate Whitfield or face unspecified consequences.
ANC WELCOMES AXING OF WHITFIELD
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) has welcomed the axing of Whitfield, affirming its respect for the president’s prerogative to hire and fire members of government
The party said it's confident Ramaphosa applied his mind when deciding to relieve Whitfield of his duties.
While there’s been no explanation behind the reason, it's widely believed the firing is linked to Whitfield’s trip to the US with his political party, without authorisation from the president.
The ANC's national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bengu-Motsiri, said the executive rights of the president must be respected.
"Whatever the reasons are, and we will ventilate the reasons in days coming forward but we want to say the ANC respects the right of the president, to constitute the executive, in the best interest of the country, in the best interest of our governance architecture, in the best interest of our democracy and in the best interest of service delivery," said Bengu-Motsiri.
And while the DA is holding an emergency federal executive meeting over the matter, Bengu-Motsiri says her party isn't worried about the stability of the GNU coalition.
"We’ve always been consistent as the ANC that we remain committed to the Government of National Unity because this is what South Africans instructed us or directed us to do through the vote. We are not worried about the stability of the GNU, the president doesn’t have to plan with any party, including the Democratic Alliance," said Bengu-Motsiri.