Democratic Alliance (DA) federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove John Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture.
Hill-Lewis, who succeeded Steenhuisen as DA leader in April, has proposed a broader reshuffle of the party’s cabinet positions in the government of national unity (GNU).
Under the plan, Steenhuisen will be demoted to deputy minister of trade, industry and competition. Willie Aucamp, the minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, is expected to take over the agriculture portfolio.
Sources said the DA’s federal council was briefed on the proposed changes on Wednesday morning.
Presidential approval is required before any changes can be implemented.
Steenhuisen, who led the DA from 2019 until April 2026, was appointed minister in July 2024.
He stepped down as party leader and said “mission accomplished”, particularly referring to the DA’s inclusion in the GNU after the 2024 national elections. Steenhuisen said he would focus exclusively on the ministerial role.
His tenure as minister of agriculture has been dominated by the slow response to foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, in which he lost favour with the farming community and party members.
While the government has procured millions of vaccine doses and aimed to vaccinate a large portion of the national herd, the handling of the crisis, including centralised procurement, court challenges over private vaccinations and criticism from farming groups has drawn sustained backlash.
Analysts and party insiders have linked the move to performance concerns in the agriculture sector, which is critical for food security, exports and rural employment.
Hill-Lewis allegedly gave Steenhuisen a grace period after assuming leadership but has now moved to act.
Aucamp, who has a farming background, is seen as better positioned to address stakeholder tension and accelerate disease control measures.
Steenhuisen has continued active duties in recent months, including international engagements on fertiliser reforms, poultry industry support and agricultural export growth.
In May, he announced measures on the avian flu vaccination and noted an 11% surge in agricultural exports.
DA officials have emphasised that ministerial positions should be based on performance and the party’s ability to demonstrate tangible governance improvements.