President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a stern warning to DA leader and agriculture minister John Steenhuisen, stating that any withdrawal from the interministerial committee (IMC) on the national dialogue will be treated as insubordination, according to a report in the Sunday Times.
This marks the first time Ramaphosa has directly threatened disciplinary action against Steenhuisen. Firing him could destabilize the already fragile government of national unity (GNU). Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told the Sunday Times that Ramaphosa hopes the DA will not turn the national dialogue into a political battleground.
“It will be important for the sake of the DA’s continued participation in the GNU, that minister Steenhuisen is able to separate his ministerial obligations from his party positions,” Magwenya told Sunday Times.
“His refusal to participate in the national dialogue IMC will be regarded by the president as insubordination.”
Magwenya added that Steenhuisen was formally notified of his IMC appointment and consulted on the national dialogue concept note. “Anything to the contrary will be nothing short of disingenuous.”
The warning comes after the DA announced its withdrawal from the national dialogue following the dismissal of its deputy minister, Andrew Whitfield, on June 25. Steenhuisen, who sits on the IMC, has repeatedly set red lines in the GNU—only for Ramaphosa to cross them without consequence.
Last week, Steenhuisen gave Ramaphosa 48 hours to reinstate Whitfield, threatening “grave consequences” if ignored. The DA’s response was to boycott the national dialogue. The party’s leadership will meet tomorrow to decide its next move.
Whitfield was fired for traveling to the US without presidential approval, with Ramaphosa citing insubordination—a charge that may now apply to Steenhuisen.
The ANC’s national executive committee may discuss reconfiguring the GNU without the DA at its July 18 meeting. A senior cabinet minister revealed that Ramaphosa recently warned all ministers of consequences for skipping IMC meetings.
“He said anybody who doesn’t attend their IMCs without a valid reason, he is going to deal with them decisively,” the minister said.
The national dialogue IMC, chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, includes 11 ministers and is mandated to meet quarterly. Its next meeting is scheduled for Friday.
Magwenya dismissed Steenhuisen’s claims of being unaware of his IMC role, stating, “We have e-mails and letters to substantiate our assertion.”
However, Steenhuisen told media on Friday that he was only notified of the IMC meeting on the day it took place. “I will engage the president on the IMC matter, but I never asked to be on it,” he said.
