EFF statement on Steenhuisen’s failure to appoint qualified staff after 100 days in office

30 September 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the flagrant incompetence and corruption of Democratic Alliance's (DA) John Steenhuisen, the Minister of Agriculture, who, within the first 100 days of holding office, has failed to appoint qualified staff. He continues to cling onto his cadre deployments—appointments of his unqualified cronies and white supremacists—while trying to bend the rules to push them through.

Steenhuisen's request for a deviation from the minimum appointment requirements for his candidates shows his blatant disregard for the rules that govern public office appointments. His nominations of Annette Steyn, Una Christians, Charity McCord, and Mr. Kruger are an insult to the hardworking and qualified South Africans who are being overlooked in favour of Steenhuisen's politically connected friends. Three of these four candidates only possess matric certificates and do not meet the minimum academic qualifications required for the positions they have been nominated for, with the last one not having enough experience for their role.

Steenhuisen's actions demonstrate a complete disregard for governance and a prioritisation of personal loyalty over merit. This is nothing more than blatant cadre deployment, something Steenhuisen and his party hypocritically condemn in public while practicing behind closed doors. His insistence on appointing these people is the very reason for the delay in finalising appointments and, consequently, the delay in worker's salaries, and the work of the department and government at large.

Furthermore, Steenhuisen has displayed his true racist colours by hiring Roman Cabanac, notorious for his white supremacist views, as his head of staff. It is only due to public outrage and backlash that Steenhuisen was forced to ask Cabanac to resign.

However, Cabanac is now refusing to step down, rightly pointing out that Steenhuisen was fully aware of his racist background before hiring him. This demonstrates not only Steenhuisen's poor judgment but also his complicity in fostering white supremacists and racist individuals in government, and his lack of commitment entirely to his job and responsibilities.

Steenhuisen is not only failing his staff by withholding their salaries but is also holding the country hostage by delaying govemment operations to satisfy his own political agenda.

The EFF will continue to expose and fight against the corrupt practices of Steenhuisen and all those who seek to undermine the functioning of government for their personal gain. We demand that he be held accountable for his incompetence, his racist appointments, and the failure of his leadership in the Department of Agriculture.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 30 September 2024