DA shake-up triggers internal revolt

26 JUN 2026, 00:25

6 min read

A week after Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis proposed a sweeping reshuffle of the party’s Government of National Unity (GNU) deployments, resistance has emerged within the organisation, with MPs, MPLs and ministers reportedly refusing to vacate positions to accommodate the leadership’s preferred appointments.

Four sources close to the matter told the Mail & Guardian that the proposed changes have triggered objections across multiple caucuses, particularly among representatives who are being asked to move between Parliament, provincial legislatures and executive positions as part of the restructuring.

The dispute has exposed underlying tensions over consultation, deployment authority and internal decision-making processes.

The resistance is understood to be most pronounced in the Eastern Cape, where several of the proposed redeployments would directly affect both provincial and national lists, setting off a chain reaction of further vacancies across different levels of government.

Last week, Hill-Lewis announced plans to replace former party leader John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture with DA MP Willie Aucamp. Supporters have linked the move to the government’s response to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and broader concerns about agricultural performance.

The proposals also include Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Yusuf Cassim as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, replacing Mimmy Gondwe.

Cassim currently serves in the Eastern Cape legislature, meaning his elevation would require him to vacate his provincial seat and trigger a further sequence of adjustments involving both provincial and national deployments.According to party insiders, discussions over how those resulting vacancies should be filled have become a central point of disagreement.

Some members argue that long-serving representatives are being displaced without adequate consultation, while others say the cascading structure of the reshuffle risks destabilising established caucus arrangements across provinces.The sources describe frustration over the knock-on effects of the proposed changes and the expectation that office bearers will vacate positions to accommodate new deployments.

They outlined the impact on Eastern Cape structures.

“From the Eastern Cape legislature, someone must be moved from Parliament, somebody must be asked to leave Parliament and go to the legislature to take Yusuf’s position, meaning the person who had the place to get into the legislature gets bumped off the list to accommodate the one who was removed from Parliament,” the source told the M&G.

“The same principle applies in Gauteng. For Jack Bloom to move to the National Assembly, an MP must be sacrificed and so far no one has agreed because who will allow themselves to be downgraded like that, so that is why they will force members out,” the source said.

At the centre of the dispute, according to insiders, is disagreement over whether established consultation mechanisms within the party have been followed. Some members argue that decisions of this scale require structured engagement with caucuses and internal deployment bodies before finalisation, rather than communication after key outcomes have already been determined.

“The process requires negotiation between the deployer and deployed to agree but currently that process has been thrown out and we are just waiting for the letter to be told to vacate because we are under a dictatorship now and it doesn’t matter how hard you work,” the source said.It also captures concern about perceived inconsistencies in deployment decisions across leadership ranks.“To show you that it is not about work, look at how he fetched Jack Bloom from Gauteng and left Solly Msimanga who is senior in leadership and rank in that caucus. It is awkward and tensions are high,” the source added.

Another source argued that experienced representatives are being shifted out of positions without clear performance-based justification, with some suggesting that the reshuffle is driven more by internal balancing considerations than governance requirements. Others warn that repeated redeployments risk weakening institutional continuity within both parliamentary and provincial caucuses.

Sources familiar with the discussions said objections are not necessarily directed at the individuals being appointed but at the process and the expectation that current office bearers should vacate positions without what they describe as sufficient consultation or negotiation.

Some members have questioned whether political alignment and internal calculations are being prioritised over continuity and expertise in key portfolios.

A source close to Steenhuisen’s camp urged acceptance of the leadership decision, referencing past internal disputes over candidate selection and deployment outcomes.

“We must just make peace, guys. We can’t all be sour… even Helen Zille pushed aside the next candidate despite expectations. She had to make peace with the fact that she can’t be the mayoral candidate,” the source said.Other insiders said that the appeal has not resolved underlying tensions, with some members continuing to question why they are expected to vacate positions they were elected or appointed to hold. They argue that redeployment should be based on clear organisational or performance considerations rather than structural adjustments required to accommodate new appointments elsewhere in the system.

The dispute reflects broader unease over the balance of power between party leadership and caucus structures. Some members argue that deployment decisions have become increasingly centralised, limiting the role of internal forums traditionally used to deliberate and approve changes.

Insiders say the situation has created uncertainty across provincial legislatures and Parliament, as members await formal communication on whether they will be required to vacate their current positions. In some cases, individuals have begun informal discussions with colleagues about possible replacements, even as final decisions remain pending within internal structures.

The reshuffle has been presented by leadership as part of an effort to strengthen governance performance within the GNU and improve alignment across key portfolios.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday, Hill Lewis said this was part of the party’s plan to win the November local government elections, where it is facing increased pressure from the Patriotic Alliance in Cape Town.

Hill-Lewis said the party was headed into a “proper fight” and could not assume continued support. He said the DA was not complacent after its previous showing of about 58% in Cape Town, stressing that it would have to compete for every vote and calling on new residents in the city to ensure they were correctly registered ahead of the polls.Hill-Lewis also defended his proposed changes to the party’s Government of National Unity deployment list, which include moving Steenhuisen from his post to Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.

He described the decision as extremely difficult but necessary for strengthening the party’s electoral appeal. Hill-Lewis said his approach was guided by a duty to voters rather than personal ties and said leadership required making hard deployment choices.

He has also put forward Aucamp to take over the agriculture portfolio, a move widely seen as aimed at addressing concerns within farming communities over the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.