South Africa’s DA Leader Wants the Agriculture Minister Fired

Fri Jun 19 2026 08:06:41 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Democratic Alliance chief Geordin Hill‑Lewis asks President Ramaphosa to sack agriculture minister John Steenhuisen amid fallout from a livestock disease outbreak.

Geordin Hill‑Lewis, the new head of South Africa’s second‑largest opposition party, has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove his predecessor John Steenhuisen from the position of agriculture minister. The move comes after the DA’s handling of a foot‑and‑mouth disease outbreak that devastated livestock caused criticism from farmers. Hill‑Lewis plans to appoint Willie Aucamp with an immediate mandate to resolve the legal controversies surrounding the crisis. The request signals a rapid reshuffle of the Democratic Alliance’s ministerial posts within Ramaphosa’s coalition cabinet. Ramaphosa has yet to reply but the likelihood of a change appears high.

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) new leader, Geordin Hill‑Lewis, has formally asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to sack his predecessor, agriculture minister John Steenhuisen.

Steenhuisen’s removal is linked to the DA’s handling of the foot‑and‑mouth disease outbreak that hit South Africa’s livestock sector. Farmers slammed him for not doing enough to contain the crisis.

Hill‑Lewis wants Willie Aucamp to replace Steenhuisen as agriculture minister, giving the new minister an “immediate mandate” to deal with the ongoing legal proceedings tied to the outbreak.

The shuffle comes after Steenhuisen stepped down as DA leader in April, and he is now nominated as deputy minister for trade and industry—an outcome many see as a demotion.

Hill‑Lewis also announced several cabinet changes, including:\