Ramaphosa warns DA he will not give into threats

By Simon Nare

President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended his dismissal of Democratic Alliance MP Andrew Whitfield as deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, saying he failed to follow due process.

Whitfield was shown the door on Thursday. While Ramaphosa did not give a public reason, the DA said it was because he had failed to get permission from the president to participate in a DA diplomatic mission to ease tension between South Africa and the United States.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has since called for the heads of two ANC ministers and a deputy minister, threatening that if Ramaphosa ignored the calls, he would be putting the country at risk.

“Let it be clear that the president shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially coming from members of the executive that he has the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,”