PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The Democratic Alliance is undergoing a major structural shift as Geordin Hill-Lewis initiates a formal DA Cabinet reshuffle, a strategic move that effectively demotes John Steenhuisen from his current ministerial position to a deputy role within the government.
According to a recent statement, the newly elected party leader has formally written to the President to outline several structural changes affecting Democratic Alliance members serving in the national executive. Under the proposed reorganization, Willie Aucamp—a farmer by profession—is slated to replace Steenhuisen as the Minister of Agriculture. Steenhuisen would subsequently be moved to the position of Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. Concurrently, David Maynier is expected to assume Aucamp’s current portfolio overseeing Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
Addressing the proposal, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magu confirmed that the President will apply his mind to the matter, noting that an official announcement regarding the executive changes will be made in due course.
While the request comes just two months into Hill-Lewis’s tenure as party leader, political observers note the restructuring has been anticipated for some time. Even prior to the DA’s congressional meetings on April 11 and 12, influential factions within the party were openly advocating for Steenhuisen’s removal from the agriculture portfolio.
Steenhuisen previously played a crucial role in stabilizing the Government of National Unity (GNU). During a period when the DA felt marginalized by the ANC, factions led by figures such as Helen Zille pushed to withdraw from the coalition. Steenhuisen, who was serving as party leader at the time, successfully navigated these internal divisions, defeated the push to exit the GNU, and maintained a strong working relationship with the President.
However, the internal dynamics shifted when Steenhuisen opted not to contest the leadership position in April, allowing Hill-Lewis to win by a landslide. Prior to the transition, warnings were raised that Steenhuisen could potentially “rule from the grave” as the most senior DA member in the cabinet, necessitating a new arrangement now that Hill-Lewis is at the helm.
A primary catalyst for the demotion appears to be the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The Democratic Alliance is eager to avoid the perception of governance failure often directed at the ANC. Because the agricultural community forms a vital voting bloc for the party, mismanaging the crisis threatens Hill-Lewis’s stated priority of making the DA the largest political party in South Africa. Allegations suggest that when confronted about these shortcomings, Steenhuisen was dismissive rather than acknowledging and rectifying the operational failures.
While moving to a deputy ministerial role is viewed by some as a “soft landing” that ensures he remains employed, it significantly reduces his authority. Deputy ministers lack true executive decision-making power and are primarily tasked with executing the directives of their respective ministers. Notably, the controversy surrounding the use of a party credit card and personal financial matters did not factor into this decision, as Steenhuisen was previously cleared of those allegations and the matter was officially closed.
Although the final appointment remains the President’s constitutional prerogative, the internal reorganization is fundamentally driven by the Democratic Alliance. During the early teething stages of the GNU, it was firmly established that the ANC and the Presidency cannot dictate the party’s internal cabinet makeup. The President previously acknowledged the necessity of respecting these arrangements to ensure the coalition functions optimally, a precedent set when he previously waited for the party to submit a name for a fired deputy minister.
Despite executing this early leadership move, Hill-Lewis is not immediately joining the national cabinet. He has indicated his intention to remain in Cape Town to oversee the Western Cape campaign and consolidate the party’s standing in regions like the City of Johannesburg, where Helen Zille has been deployed. It is widely predicted that he will not finish his current term as the Mayor of Cape Town, likely transitioning to the national political stage following the next national and provincial elections to fully lead the party from the front.
For Steenhuisen, the transition is undoubtedly painful. Having carried the GNU process through its most difficult early months and defied internal factions to keep the coalition intact, he likely hoped the new leadership would not be vindictive. While he originally wanted to stay the course, the political reality made his defeat in the leadership contest a foregone conclusion, culminating in this significant downgrade in his executive responsibilities.