Is the DA About to Pull Out of the GNU Over Whitfield’s Firing?

(The Post News)- The Democratic Alliance (DA) has issued a stark warning: it may walk away from the Government of National Unity (GNU) following the sudden dismissal of its deputy minister, Andrew Whitfield, by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Whitfield, who served in the trade, industry and competition portfolio, was removed from office on Wednesday. The move has triggered a political standoff, with DA leader John Steenhuisen accusing the president of acting unfairly and undermining the fragile coalition. Steenhuisen told Parliament that the president’s decision was taken without proper consultation and smacked of double standards. He pointed out that several ANC ministers facing serious allegations remain untouched, while Whitfield was axed over a trip to the United States which, according to the DA, followed all internal party protocols.

Whitfield had travelled to Washington in February as part of a DA delegation. He maintains that a formal request was sent to the Presidency 10 days before departure, in line with the ministerial handbook. When no response came, he interpreted the silence as approval. After returning, he sent an apology to the president – again, with no reply. “I accept that perhaps it was a misstep,” Whitfield said during an interview on Face the Nation. “But the response, iring me, is completely out of proportion.”

The Presidency, however, insists the dismissal was justified. In a public statement, Ramaphosa said Whitfield violated established rules known to all members of the executive. The president also cited historical precedent, pointing out that former deputy ministers had previously been dismissed for similar breaches. “There is no basis for linking this dismissal to unrelated political matters,” Ramaphosa said. “This was a straightforward failure to follow the rules.”

Still, the timing has raised eyebrows. Steenhuisen has given the president 48 hours to remove ministers like Thembi Simelane and David Mahlobo, whom the DA claims are implicated in misconduct. Failure to act, Steenhuisen warned, could result in the DA exiting the GNU. “The DA will not stay in a government that protects the corrupt and punishes those who stand up to them,” he said. Whitfield said the DA’s federal executive would soon decide on its next move. “The president may have misjudged us. If he thinks we won’t walk, he’s wrong,” he added. For now, the DA has confirmed it will support the national budget to avoid disrupting service delivery, but made it clear that the partnership in government is hanging by a thread.