Former Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

NNA News - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday evening, demoting former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen from Minister of Agriculture to Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. The changes follow a request by the party's new leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis. 

The reshuffle affects the Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Trade, Industry and Competition, Electricity and Energy, Higher Education, Water and Sanitation, and Social Development.  The presidency confirmed the changes in a statement, saying, "President Cyril Ramaphosa will be introducing changes to the national executive following consultation with the leadership of the Democratic Alliance as a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU)." 

Steenhuisen, who led the DA from 2019 until April 2026, has been removed from the agriculture portfolio and appointed Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, marking a demotion from minister to deputy minister.  According to News24, "Ramaphosa informed former party leader John Steenhuisen that he would no longer serve as the minister of agriculture and would take over from Abrahams." 

Willem Aucamp, the current Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, has been appointed Minister of Agriculture, while former Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier becomes Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. In the African National Congress (ANC), MP Dina Pule, the former minister of communications and digital technologies, has been appointed minister of social development, filling a post that has "been vacant since the dismissal of Sisisi Tolashe". 

The presidency said, "The president wishes all the incoming ministers and deputy ministers well in their roles." Ramaphosa also dismissed three DA deputy ministers, with their removal letters dated 30 June. Samantha Graham-Mare, Sello Seitlholo and Mimmy Gondwe shared their dismissal letters on Facebook.  Graham-Mare wrote, "I hope I left my country slightly better off than the way I found it. The next adventure awaits." 

Seitlholo said he thanked John Steenhuisen for the opportunity to serve in one of the highest positions in government. Gondwe shared that, "I believe that every single thing in life happens for a reason." Alexandra Abrahams has been appointed Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, while Jack Bloom becomes Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation. Yusuf Cassim has joined the cabinet for higher education. Cassim is the first Muslim and Indian DA member to serve in the cabinet. 

The changes follow Hill-Lewis's announcement on 17 June that he had asked Ramaphosa for "several changes" to the DA's representation after "a careful assessment of the DA's team" in the GNU. The reshuffle comes as South Africa's Government of National Unity continues to evolve after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority in the 2024 elections for the first time since 1994. Under the coalition agreement, the DA was allocated cabinet positions and is able to propose changes to its representatives in government. 

The latest appointments are the first major overhaul of the party's representation in the national executive since Hill-Lewis was elected federal leader in April while serving as Cape Town mayor.