What public protector is probing against Steenhuisen

An 84-page bombshell affidavit to public protector Nompilo Gcaleka, alleging interference in the state by DA leader John Steenhuisen, has come to the fore, threatening the veneer of orderliness, discipline and decorum the party has tried to maintain.

In a lengthy and frequently emotional submission, axed former environmental minister Dion George alleges Steenhuisen had him axed from the cabinet under false pretences in favour of Willie Aucamp, whose family George alleges benefits from the highly lucrative trade in lion hunting.

In the affidavit, George alleges Steenhuisen:

unlawfully interfered in the mandate of his department and in his role as minister by instructing him to meet captive-lion breeders, and by holding his own meetings with them;
suggested to him that “captive wildlife” should be the responsibility of the department of agriculture, of which Steenhuisen is minister;
recommended Aucamp for appointment as minister of forestry, fisheries & the environment because of links Aucamp has to the captive breeding and wildlife ranching industry; and
removed him as a minister who was acting independently and impartially to replace him with someone who suited his personal political objectives.

George also wants the public protector to investigate Aucamp for:

alleged failure to disclose his personal commercial interests and conflicts of interest;
the withdrawal of a South African proposal to tighten rules on abalone (perlemoen) trade at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) conference late last year; and
failure to renew the mandate of a ministerial task team appointed by former environment minister Barbara Creecy to implement the phase-out of the captive lion breeding industry.

George’s complaint comes just over a week after Aucamp approached the public protector. Rapport reported two weeks ago that Aucamp accused George of abusing state resources and fabricating a whistleblower report to launch a departmental investigation into him.

The tit-for-tat complaints come before a crucial DA elective leadership congress in April when Steenhuisen hopes to be elected for a third term. It is not clear whether George, who is the DA’s federal finance chair, will seek re-election to this post.