DA leadership tensions spill into Public Protector complaint
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently removed Dr Dion George as the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, appointing Willem Abraham Stephanus (Willie) Aucamp as his replacement.
Image: IOL Graphics
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has submitted a formal complaint to the Public Protector, requesting an investigation into possible abuse of state resources by former Minister Dion George and his former staff.
The complaint names George’s former advisor and acting chief of staff, Shelton Mollentze, and the Minister’s then-personal assistant, Traverse le Goff.
In a statement issued by the department, it said that the complaint was lodged after Aucamp assumed office, during which he became aware of an investigation into his private business affairs.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Willie Aucamp has lodged a complaint with the Public Protector over alleged misuse of state resources by former Minister Dion George and his staff.
Image: IOL
Aucamp said he felt the investigation appeared to be politically motivated and aimed at falsely linking him to the lion breeding industry, with which he has no association.
“I will not shy away from my duty as minister and will act against anyone in my department who has been alleged, on a prima facie basis, to have misused state resources, irrespective of what position such individuals hold or have held in the past,” Aucamp is quoted as saying in the statement.
Days before Ramaphosa fired George, the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA) expressed deep concern over Aucamp’s appointment.
In a statement, WAPFSA indicated that it wrote to Ramaphosa, urging him to reject Aucamp’s appointment.
The organisation stated that it believed Aucamp’s private interests could influence the state’s decision-making to his own advantage, by shaping laws to benefit himself.
“Willie Aucamp, is proudly, explicitly and publicly aligned with South Africa’s hunting and wildlife breeding, including genetically modifying species, specifically for trophy hunting. His family have interests in the hunting and breeding of wild animals for profit,” a statement issued by WAPFSA said at the time.
Aucamp added that, “in my capacity as minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment”, he has “fulfilled my duty and submitted a comprehensive report to the Public Protector detailing all the information and evidence available to me”.
The minister requested that the Public Protector be given the necessary time to conduct the investigation without undue speculation or interference and said no further details would be shared at this stage.
Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa removed George from his position, replacing him with Aucamp, who was then the DA party spokesperson. This was at the request of party leader John Steenhuisen.
George is believed to have leaked Steenhuisen’s personal financial problems to the media.
The DA leader was reportedly slapped with a default judgment for failing to pay R150,000 accumulated on his personal credit card. Other allegations included that Steenhuisen allegedly used the party credit cards to purchase food items for his family. George also blocked the card in his capacity as the party’s “treasurer”.
A month ago, IOL quoted political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast as saying that a factional battle is playing out in the DA, ahead of next year’s party conference.
Breakfast said this is clearly a political battle where Steenhuisen “is purging those who he feels are standing in his way” to get re-elected to lead the party again next year.
In a statement issued by the DA in the middle of November, Steenhuisen said he noted that there was speculation that George’s removal was due to external pressure and interests.
“I wish to set the record straight in this regard, not least given the reportage that seeks to make out that his removal is due to external pressure and interests. The simple truth is that it is not,” the party leader said.
Steenhuisen, however, did not clarify further on his statement that George’s removal was because of these external pressures, apart from emphasising that the DA’s role in government is to deliver on its agenda, ensure capable individuals occupy key positions, and work collaboratively to implement economic reforms and improve governance.
Breakfast said it was ironic that Steenhuisen was employing the ANC’s tactics of using state resources to fight political battles – something which Steenhuisen had criticised in the past.
George was appointed Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment in the Government of National Unity after the 2024 elections.
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