Steenhuisen dismisses suggestions he asked Ramaphosa to boot George due to alleged underperformance

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has dismissed suggestions that he asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to boot Dion George as Minister of Forests, Fisheries and the Environment due to alleged underperformance or external pressures.

George, who’s been in Brazil this week attending the world’s biggest climate summit, COP30, officially received the chop on Wednesday night and has been replaced by the party’s spokesperson, Willie Aucamp.

ALSO READ: GNU cabinet shake-up: Dion George out, Willie Aucamp and Alexandra Abrahams step in

Ramaphosa, acting on Steenhuisen’s request on Wednesday night, put to bed almost a week of murmurs about a mini switch-up.

Just more than 15 months into the Government of National Unity (GNU), the DA is making the first changes to its executive line-up of six ministers and six deputy ministers.

Steenhuisen said there was no malicious intentbehind George’s removal.

“Like any organisation, and any governments in the world, you assess how things are going and you obviously try to move people around to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit of that.”

Steenhuisen said following the axing of former Deputy Minister of Trade Andrew Whitfield by Ramaphosa in June over an unsanctioned overseas trip, he thought George would be a perfect fit.

“Given the importance of the trade relationship, his obvious ties with the US [United States], his expertise in economics and finance, he was the DA’s finance spokesperson, and I really thought he would do a wonderful job as the deputy minister at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.”

With George having turned down the job, Steenhuisen put forward the party’s Alexandra Abrahams instead, who has now been endorsed by the president.

Abrahams had until now been serving on Parliament’s Social Development Committee.

Steenhuisen said the new appointments will strengthen the DA’s contribution to the GNU.

Thanking George for his service, Steenhuisen said he looked forward to working with him in other important roles, which he did not specify.

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