Fri 27 June 2025:
President removes DA deputy minister over alleged insubordination, prompting an urgent party meeting and raising questions about the stability of the new government.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament Andrew Whitfield from his position as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, a move the Presidency confirmed was effective immediately. The dismissal, linked to alleged insubordination over an unauthorised trip to the United States, has been labelled a “very serious development” by the DA and has tested the fragile nature of the new government.
The DA’s Federal Council chairperson, Helen Zille, confirmed she had convened an urgent meeting of the party’s Federal Executive on Thursday to discuss the president’s actions regarding the composition of the Government of National Unity (GNU) executive. “The DA’s Federal Executive will meet later today and the DA will give further comment thereafter,” Zille stated, signalling the party’s concern over the sudden development.
While the Presidency has not provided a specific reason for Whitfield’s removal, multiple reports and government insiders suggest it stems from a trip he undertook to Washington in March without receiving the required authorisation from the president. This action is seen as a breach of protocol, as ministers and their deputies must seek presidential permission for all international travel, even in a private capacity.
SABC News Political Editor Mzwandile Mbeje noted that while the public might be surprised, the dismissal may not be unexpected for close political observers, adding that the unauthorised US trip was likely the primary cause. He also highlighted the fragile relationship between the two biggest parties in the coalition.
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A Tale of Two Ministers
The swiftness of Ramaphosa’s action against the DA’s Whitfield contrasts sharply with his perceived inaction regarding members of his own African National Congress (ANC) party facing serious allegations. Public and political pressure has been mounting for him to dismiss Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane following a scandal over the appointment of several politically connected individuals, including the son of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, to the boards of Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas).
The DA has been vocal in its calls for Nkabane’s removal, accusing her of misleading Parliament and engaging in “brazen” cadre deployment. Despite these calls and a subsequent withdrawal of the controversial appointments by Nkabane, the president has yet to take decisive action against her, requesting only a report on the matter.
In a fiery response, DA Leader John Steenhuisen accused President Ramaphosa of applying a “flagrant double standard” and acting in bad faith. Steenhuisen contested the official reason for the dismissal, stating that Whitfield had indeed sought permission for the trip on 12 February but received no response from the presidency before his departure ten days later.
“There is no other conclusion to be drawn than that this is a calculated political assault on the second-largest party in the governing coalition,” Steenhuisen declared. He argued that the swift action against Whitfield was a stark contrast to the President’s handling of ANC cabinet members like Thembi Simelane and Nobuhle Nkabane, who remain in their posts despite serious allegations of corruption and misconduct.
Steenhuisen further suggested that Whitfield was being targeted for his effectiveness and his efforts to combat corruption within his department. “One is left with no choice but to conclude that hardworking DA Members of the Executive are now being fired for fighting corruption, not for committing corruption,” he said.
The DA has now issued a 48-hour ultimatum, calling on the President to fire Simelane, Nkabane, and other ANC officials implicated in wrongdoing. “Should the ANC fail to meet our ultimatum, all bets are off and the consequences will be theirs to bear,” Steenhuisen warned,
The incident further strains the fragile relationship within the GNU, with Mbeje pointing to recent political manoeuvres at a local level, such as the DA sponsoring a motion to remove the ANC’s mayor in Johannesburg, as evidence that the relationship between the two main parties may not be as stable as it appears.
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