The leader of South Africa’s second‑largest political party has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to dismiss his own predecessor, John Oosthuizen, as agriculture minister.
Geordin Hill‑Lewis, who took over as Democratic Alliance (DA) leader in April, claims a sweeping overhaul of the party’s representation in the government is necessary after the foot‑and‑mouth outbreak that devastated the country’s livestock sector.
Oosthuizen’s management of the crisis has drawn sharp criticism from farmers, and the outbreak has become a flashpoint for political pressure against the DA, which holds six cabinet posts and several deputy ministries in Ramaphosa’s coalition.
Hill‑Lewis publicly called for the appointment of Willie Aucamp as agriculture minister with an “immediate mandate… to resolve on‑going legal proceedings relating” to the outbreak.
In addition to the agriculture ministerial shift, Hill‑Lewis announced moves that would replace David Maynier (environment minister), Alexandra Abrahams (deputy electricity and energy minister), Yusuf Cassim (deputy higher education and training minister) and Jack Bloom (deputy water and sanitation minister) — all of whom are to work under Aucamp’s new leadership.
Oosthuizen, who served as the DA’s parliamentary leader since 2014 and became party leader in 2019, has recently faced financial scandal and has been nominated as deputy minister for trade and industry, a significant demotion.
Hill‑Lewis’s claim that “no‑one is entitled to any office or position” echoes his earlier statements about reviewing DA appointees and changing roles when necessary, a stance he adopted as soon as he became party leader.
