Illustrative image | Former Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Andrew Whitfield. (Photo: Darren Stewart / Gallo Images) | President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Phando Jikelo / RSA Parliament) 
President Cyril Ramaphosa is reconfiguring his Government of National Unity (GNU) executive, removing Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield (DA) from his position on Thursday, 26 June.
“The Presidency can confirm that in terms of section 93(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed the Hon. Andrew Whitfield, MP from the position of Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Competition. The president has thanked the former deputy minister for the time he served in the role,” Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Daily Maverick.
He added that he was, however, “not aware of a wholesale Cabinet reshuffle”.
Contacted for comment, DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp called Whitfield’s removal “a very serious development”.
“The Federal Executive of the DA will meet to discuss this matter, and we will communicate our position in due course,” he added.
Asked to comment on why the president had removed Whitfield, Magwenya declined to answer.
Asked why he was removed from his position, Whitfield replied: “Good question – only the president can answer that question”.
The bargaining for positions in the executive was a key issue before the formation of the GNU, with parties arguing they should be based on their share of votes. There have been increasing calls from members of the ANC to act against the DA for going against the ANC on various issues, including the Employment Equity Act, National Health Insurance, the Expropriation Act and the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
Read more: While ANC-DA Cabinet talks continue, leaked letters reveal parties at odds
A News24 report on Thursday morning suggested there could be a Cabinet reshuffle triggered by the fiasco involving Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s contentious appointment of chairs of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards.
Nkabane’s appointment last month of several ANC associates as chairpersons to Seta boards sparked an immediate furore from MPs who demanded answers in Parliament, as well as calls for her to be removed from her position. This month, Ramaphosa requested that Nkabane report to him about her behaviour in Parliament and questionable Seta board appointments.
Read more: Advocate Terry Motau slams minister over claims he chaired controversial Seta appointments panel
At a press conference on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting of 25 June, on Thursday morning, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said she could not answer questions about the president’s reshuffle.
“The decision to appoint and to remove or reshuffle ministers or deputy ministers – that is the sole prerogative of the president. He exercised that without consulting anyone, but that is his sole decision, so I cannot answer the question on the reshuffle,” Ntshavheni said. DM