President Cyril Ramaphosa has made changes to his cabinet, firing forestry, fisheries and environment minister Dion George and replacing him with DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp.
“In accordance with section 91(3)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, I have appointed Mr Willem Abraham Stephanus Aucamp, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. Consequently, I have removed Dr Dion George from the portfolio in accordance with section 91 (2) of the Constitution,” said Ramaphosa in a Presidency statement issued on Wednesday night.
Ramaphosa has appointed DA MP Alexandra Lilian Amelia Abrahams as deputy minister, trade industry and competition, in place of Andrew Whitfield.
Ramaphosa fired Whitfield in June after the DA EC leader travelled to the US without the president’s approval.
DA leader John Steenhuisen rejected media reports of external pressure and interests in George’s removal.
“The simple truth is that it is not,” he said.
“The DA entered the government of national unity in June 2024 with a clear mission: to confront South Africa’s most urgent challenges and to deliver tangible improvements in the lives of our citizens.
“Central to this commitment to putting people at the centre of our concerns is our ongoing fight for the implementation of bold economic reforms that will unlock growth, attract investment, and create jobs,” said Steenhuisen.
The DA holds 12 positions within the national executive.
“It is therefore imperative that these roles are occupied by the most capable individuals our party has to offer — people who bring integrity, energy, and excellence to government,” he said.
“Collegiality is crucial. Our progress requires steadfast team work within and outside government as we strive to deliver better governance and improvements to people’s lives. In this mission it is also important for each and every public official to work to an agreed agenda.”
Steenhuisen confirmed that he formally requested Ramaphosa to implement the changes to the DA’s representatives in the national executive.
These appointments will strengthen the DA’s contribution to the GNU, and advance the urgent reform agenda the country and its people so desperately need, he said.
The Sunday Times reported on Sunday that George had defied the DA’s federal executive when he was asked to replace Whitfield.
Insiders claimed that George told the meeting he considered the post a demotion and would rather focus on his work in the party, where he is head of finances.
The Sunday Times understands Steenhuisen told Ramaphosa he would be making changes to his party’s deployees in the coalition government during their bilateral meeting at the GNU retreat this week.
George was among three ministers the Sunday Times initially reported in September as being under consideration for the axe from the DA component of the cabinet. George declined to comment yesterday, referring queries to Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen said yesterday: “It would be premature of me as the DA federal leader to discuss any matter relating to this until the president has applied his mind.”
Insiders said George had been underperforming and failing to connect with stakeholders to boost the DA’s prospects in next year’s elections.
“He just doesn’t understand that to be a minister you have to work, and be seen to be working. He doesn’t have any connection with the relevant stakeholders, and his reports to the party are underwhelming,” an insider said.
Other insiders said George was not an underperformer but there were political differences between him and Steenhuisen.
Another insider said George was upset by Steenhuisen’s offer of a deputy minister post.
“We consider the trade & industry department as a key ministry that requires a senior leader. We tried to make him understand that. He is senior in the party and runs its finances, but he doesn’t have a constituency in the party to fight for him.”
George’s position was initially offered to Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape’s minister of agriculture. Meyer declined the position, the insiders said. They added that with Meyer the party wanted to appease its coloured constituency, as well as ensure it had a capable person in the job.
The Sunday Times previously reported that Steenhuisen was considering replacing Whitfield with a coloured to maintain favour with that constituency. The DA is facing strong competition from the Patriotic Alliance, which has proved popular with coloured voters.
“Meyer declined the post. He said he didn’t want to leave the Western Cape where he was running a successful department. He said he had just found his footing, the department was stable, and he wouldn’t want to leave now. So that is how other options had to come to the table.”
The insiders said the party then settled on Aucamp, the party’s current spokesperson. There were no objections to Aucamp’s deployment, with the majority on the FedEx having confidence in him as a hard worker.
“Willie is a hard worker who comes from humble beginnings in the Northern Cape. He knows the challenges people in forestry face, and he will be able to deal with them. He is very capable.”
Abrahams is a political unknown but is likely to appeal to coloureds, and is female.
“No-one knows much about her, but we are told she is capable. She has been the [parliamentary committee] deputy spokesperson for social development for some time under [chair] Bridget Masango. She comes from the Cape Flats, so she knows that community, and that will be good for the DA.
“I was told she openly supported Mpho Phalatse against Steenhuisen, but there is no proof of it. She is a close ally of JP Smith in Cape Town,” one of the insiders said.
According to parliament’s website, Abrahams has an honours degree in political science from Stellenbosch University and an undergraduate degree in international relations.
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