DA intervenes in bitter Steenhuisen, George clash

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Executive has asked its Leader, John Steenhuisen, and Federal Chairperson of Financial Affairs, Dr Dion George, to stop airing their dirty laundry through the media.

The party held an urgent meeting last night, 23 November, to discuss the dispute between the two DA senior officials.

Chairperson of the DA’s Federal Executive, Helen Zille, said that the party discussed its formal response to the matters and resolved to refer the matter to the Federal Legal Commission for a full investigation. 

George has accused Steenhuisen of violating the DA’s constitution and rules. 

“The Fedex also issued an injunction to everyone involved, either directly or peripherally, to stop prosecuting their arguments through the media, and allow the party’s processes to take their course,” said Zille. 

This is after George aired his complaints against Steenhuisen to Rapport. He said that he had stopped the party’s credit card, used by Steenhuisen, because he was using the card to pay for Uber Eats food delivery and household expenses. 

He also submitted a formal complaint to the party’s legal commission through Zille. 

In response, Steenhuisen said that George is just “bitter” over the recent changes made to the National Executive caucus, in which George was removed from his position as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. 

“As I have said many times before, if he has proof of wrongdoing, then he must provide that to the FLC of the party,” Steenhuisen told Rapport.

“He will, however, have to explain why he has never done so before his removal, which clearly exposes this as a revenge attempt,” he said. 

George, however, insists he submitted the complaint before he was removed. He was replaced by former party spokesperson Willie Aucamp.

George’s removal under the spotlight

The reshuffle has recently been criticised by environmental groups. The EMS foundation, in its report, “Axing of Minister Dion George – The Democratic Alliance shows its True Colours,” said that George was fired for his activism. 

“When President Cyril Ramaphosa fired Dr Dion George as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the official explanation was carefully scripted: ‘under-performance,’” the foundation said. 

“But the timing, the political choreography and the beneficiaries tell a far more revealing story — one that exposes the growing influence of wildlife-breeding and trophy-hunting lobbies inside government.”

They further argue that Aucamp is “politically compromised” and said the DA is pushing a pro-trophy-hunting agenda that views wildlife as a commodity. 

Steenhuisen addressed these concerns to The Citizen, saying that George’s removal had anything to do with external pressure. 

“The DA currently holds 12 positions within the national executive. It is therefore imperative that these roles are occupied by the most capable individuals our party has to offer,” he said. 

“People who bring integrity, energy and excellence to government. Collegiality is crucial.”

George, meanwhile, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying through anonymous sources in the department, who spoke to News24. 

The former minister said he plans to sue the media house for defamation and said the article was clearly a “smear campaign” against him. 

George told the Daily Maverick he will take the case to the UK and the US as well as South Africa, because these jurisdictions take defamation cases very seriously, and News24’s holding company, Napers, is a global business.

News24 Editor Adriaan Basson said that the company has not received any notification from George of the legal challenge, adding that the former minister was given “ample opportunity to comment on stories regarding his departure.”

“If he institutes any action against us, we will defend it,” He said. George is likely to include Steenhuisen in the defamation case as well, as one of the people responsible for the “smear campaign” against him.