DA unity shaken 'to a degree' by factionalism - Prof Steven Friedman, political analyst

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is facing growing questions about factionalism after a series of controversies involving party leader John Steenhuisen and former environment minister, Dion George.

According to a recent Daily Maverick article, penned by Rebecca Davis, the official narrative around Steenhuisen's removal of George from the post "has been murky from the start".

Initial reports suggested Steenhuisen wanted to redeploy him to a new role in the trade and industry portfolio. George reportedly declined and was then removed.

Steenhuisen denied that George was pushed out because of poor performance, but later allegations of bullying and misconduct by George (which he denied) began to surface.

At the same time, Steenhuisen has also faced scrutiny, with Davis' article reporting that court papers from May revealed a default judgment of nearly R150,000 for unpaid personal credit card debt.

There were also claims that the DA’s internal finance committee removed his party credit card, corroborated by George, who serves as the party’s federalfinance chair.

Political analyst Professor Steven Friedman says the DA is factionalised.

"But I'm not sure this is about factionalism. I think it's far more about trying to get a minister out of the way because he was interfering with some vested interests."

Friedman referred to another Daily Maverick piece published recently in which an environmentalist suggested the reason George had been moved was because he was standing in the way of various hunting interests.

That line is beginning to look increasingly credible, said Friedman.

"Rebecca Davis makes the valid point. If his behaviour is so bad and he's so terrible, why did they offer him a deputy ministership? So, it does look very much like the allegations against him are there to smear him."

To listen to Friedman in conversation with CapeTalk's John Maytham, click below: