‘I won’t be threatened,’ Ramaphosa tells Steenhuisen

June 27, 2025 69

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at DA leader John Steenhuisen’s ultimatum, saying he will not be threatened.

In a scathing letter, Ramaphosa says Steenhuisen knew well in advance about his intension to sack the DA’s Andrew Whitfield from his portfolio as the Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister.

“Prior to the removal of Mr Whitfield, I informed Minister John Steenhuisen as the leader of the Democratic Alliance that I had decided to remove Mr Whitfield from his position as Deputy Minister and that I expect him to present to me for approval a replacement for Mr Whitfield from his party as the DA is entitled to a Deputy Minister as agreed.”

The President says in that discussion, Mr Steenhuisen told him that Whitfield had been expecting to be sacked because he had undertaken an international trip without his permission.

“This expectation, along with a perfunctory letter of apology that Mr Whitfield wrote to me following his travel to the USA without the required permission, indicated that he was aware that his actions had violated the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive. During my discussion with Mr Steenhuisen, he asked me if there was precedent for the action that I intended to take in relation to Mr Whitfield. I informed him that there was indeed prior precedent.”

Despite this, however, the DA leader has acted as someone who was unaware, giving the president 48 hours to fire other ministers who have been fingered in wrongdoing, including Thembi Simelane and Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, and other deputies’ ministers.

📺 DA issues 48-hour ultimatum to Ramaphosa after the unjust firing of the DA’s Andrew Whitfield.

“Whitfield opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments in a department mired in corruption allegations involving the tender for the National Lottery.” – @jsteenhuisen, DA Leader pic.twitter.com/xNDqqaYDdx

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) June 26, 2025

President Ramaphosa, however, doesn’t seem shaken, explaining to the DA leader that there are other former Cabinet members who were also once fired for the same reason.

“I told him that in 1995, President Nelson Mandela dismissed the late Deputy Minister Madikizela-Mandela and that in 2007 President Thabo Mbeki dismissed then Deputy Minister Nosizwe Madlala-Routledge on the grounds of undertaking international travel without permission.”

Political Analyst, Bongani Mahlangu, says the President needs to remember that he is part of a Government of National Unity (GNU) and needs consensus on decisions.

Mahlangu says it remains to be seen how the DA play their cards, as they’ve already shown the ANC how they navigate their political relationship when they aren’t happy with decisions. He cites the DA’s decision to vote against the Finance Minister’s budget as an example of this.

Political analyst, Professor Sam Koma, says the DA should focus on offering a name for someone to fill Whitfields’ position.

South Africans, including DA Federal Council Chair Helen Zille, have weighed in on Ramaphosa’s response to Steenhuisen and the latest turbulence within the GNU.

This statement by the President is disingenuous. It pretends that Andrew’s dismissal was because he did not ask the President for permission to travel abroad. YET HE DID ASK FOR PERMISSION AND FOLLOWED UP SEVERAL TIMES. To date, no response.https://t.co/Eoa1fRtsHg

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) June 27, 2025

This is Andrew Whitfield of @Our_DA He was the Minister of Trade and Industry he was removed by Ramaphosa for asking questions about the dodgy deal of Lotto Parks Tau rewarded Paul Mashatile family

REMEMBER THIS HERO 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/9d0b1nYjqs

— IG:Joy-Zelda (@joy_zelda) June 26, 2025

If the ANC is able to apply their minds to such fine details as to how to fire Andrew Whitfield , just imagine if they used some of that energy in actually doing good and growing the SA economy

— Joanne Baynham CA (SA), CFA ® (@madaboutmarkets) June 27, 2025

Written by: Nokwazi Qumbisa

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