DA to reveal next step after Ramaphosa booted Whitfield from the executive

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it will reveal tomorrow (Saturday) what its next steps are in its latest spat with President Cyril Ramaphosa over the firing of Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.

On Thursday, DA leader John Steenhuisen issued Ramaphosa with a 48-hour ultimatum to be consistent in his approach to wrongdoing and fire ministers accused of corruption.

But on Friday, Ramaphosa said he would not bow to such threats and labelled Steenhuisen’s response to Whitfield’s axing in the National Assembly as “intemperate”.

Steenhuisen hijacked one of his party’s speaking turns during the Division of Revenue Bill debate yesterday [Thursday] to lash out at the president’s decision to fire member of Parliament (MP) Whitfield from the executive.

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“If this situation is not corrected, it will go down as the greatest political mistake in modern South African history,” said Steenhuisen.

But the Presidency said that response was uncalled for.

Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Steenhuisen was informed of the president’s intention before Whitfield was dismissed, and asked to nominate a replacement from his party.

“It is unprecedented in the history of our democracy, that the exercise by the president of his constitutional prerogative and responsibility with respect to a clear violation of the rules, is met with such irresponsible and unjustifiable threats and ultimatums from a member of the executive.”

The Presidency said Whitfield blatantly disregarded executive rules by not seeking permission to travel abroad, and there are no reasonable grounds for the DA to issue the president with an ultimatum.