A blazing political row has erupted in South Africa after its president fired a top minister, claiming the minister’s trip to the United States four months ago did not get his approval.
The incident threatens to push apart partners in South Africa’s governing alliance because South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is a member of the African National Congress and former Deputy Trade Minister Andrew Whitfield is a member of the Democratic Alliance, according to the BBC.
The Democratic Alliance accused Ramaphosa of a “flagrant double standard” in dismissing Whitfield and has demanded the removal of ANC ministers it alleges are corrupt.
“If they fail to do so, the ANC will inflict grave consequences on South Africa. Make no mistake about it: What happens next is entirely on the ANC and President Ramaphosa. They did not have to do this. They triggered all of the events that follow,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said, according to Current Affairs ZA.
“Should the ANC fail to meet our ultimatum, all bets are off and the consequences will be theirs to bear.”
“He had opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments [and] was standing in the way of the looting that will follow from the Transformation Fund — and all of this in a department mired in corruption allegations involving the tender for the National Lottery,” Steenhuisen continued.
In 2020, as noted by France 24, a furor erupted over then-Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams using tax dollars to send her husband to Switzerland. Although in an interview she said they went to Geneva, which is in Switzerland, she said she meant to specify that they went to France.
Why is Andrew Whitfield being unjustly punished when compared to Stella Ndabeni Abrahams’s similar conduct?
Oh, right, because he is white. https://t.co/4KgD9P5Atb
— Chanté Dunckley (@chante75967) June 27, 2025
Whitfield said getting the boot was a “premature and an unnecessary provocation” and said no reason was given for his removal in the official letter he received, according to the BBC.
He noted, he did not get presidential approval for the trip, but since he requested permission two weeks before the trip, he said he “simply took silence as consent and perhaps that was an error in judgment on my part.”
He added that leaving the governing coalition is one option open to his party.
Ramaphosa offered a justification for his action in a post on X.
“It is not common practice for the President of the Republic of South Africa to provide reasons either for the appointment or dismissal of Members of the Executive. However, due to several unfortunate statements and outright distortions by a number of people, especially Mr John Steenhuisen and Mr Whitfield himself, it is necessary for me to make a public statement on the circumstances surrounding Mr Whitfield’s removal.
“Mr Whitfield was removed as a Deputy Minister because he undertook an international visit without the permission of the President. His travel to the United States was a clear violation of the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive,” he wrote.
STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON THE REMOVAL OF DEPUTY MINISTER WHITFIELD
FRIDAY, 27 JUNE 2025
On 25 June 2025, I removed Mr Andrew Whitfield from the position of Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition in terms of section 93 (1) of the Constitution.
It is…
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 27, 2025
“All international travel by members of the executive must always be undertaken with the express permission of the President. This practice is rigorously observed and adhered to by all members of the Executive. However, Mr Whitfield deliberately chose to violate this rule and practice.”
Ramaphosa said that he spoke to Steenhuisen before giving Whitfield the ax and that Steenhuisen told him the minister expected the punishment.
Precedents for the removal exist, he wrote, citing actions in 1995 and 2007.
“Given all these circumstances there is consequently no reasonable grounds for Mr Steenhuisen and the Democratic Alliance to issue ultimatums and threats when the President exercises his constitutional prerogative and responsibility. Nor are there any grounds to try link this with matters that have no bearing on the conduct of the former Deputy Minister,” Ramaphosa wrote.
The most tenuous and laughable of reasons – esp in the context of the corruption allegations that hang over numerous ANC ministers.
“fired for insubordination linked to a trip he took with his party to Washington without being granted permission”https://t.co/lyWEzHgEhv
— Chris Hattingh 🇿🇦🌐🚢🏭📈 (@ChrisHatt11) June 26, 2025
In May, Ramaphosa had an awkward Oval Office confrontation with President Donald Trump, who showed the South African evidence of white Afrikaners being targeted for violence.
In February, Trump issued an executive order establishing a special refugee status for Afrikaners, who are victims of unjust racial discrimination, including threats of violence and land confiscation.
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