DA calls it a 'travesty' that fired Whitfield didn't take part in debate on DTIC budget
The party said Whitfield contributed a lot during his term as one of two deputy ministers in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
FILE: Former Deputy Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Andrew Whitfield during the virtual G20 Trade and Investment Working Group meeting on 18 March 2025. Picture: @the_dtic/X
CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it was a "travesty" that former Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield did not take part in the department’s budget debate.
The party said that Whitfield contributed a lot during his term as one of two deputy ministers in the department.
In June, President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed Whitfield for undertaking an overseas trip with his party without approval.
But Minister Parks Tau did take time to recognise Whitfield’s role in transforming the technical infrastructure institutions in the department to assist businesses and create a workable environment.
Whitfield’s firing was announced just a week before the department tabled its budget in the National Assembly.
DA’s trade spokesperson, Toby Chance, used Friday’s budget debate to remind the House of Whitfield’s contribution before his removal, like how he helped bridge the divide between government and business.
"The unfortunate dismissal of former Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield last week should not overshadow the immense contribution he made in his one-year term of office. It is a travesty that he’s not here today to detail the excellent work he did in the department in the face of numerous challenges."
While Chance didn’t reject the budget during his speech, opposition parties like the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejected it, saying it doesn’t do enough to transform the economy.