South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed Andrew Whitfield, the Democratic Alliance’s deputy minister of trade, industry, and competition, in a move that plunges the country’s coalition government into crisis, according to Reuters.
Ramaphosa’s office confirmed the removal on Thursday, stating the president had no plans for a large-scale cabinet reshuffle but offering no rationale for Whitfield’s abrupt departure. The DA swiftly branded the decision “a very serious development,” with spokesperson Willie Aucamp confirming its Federal Executive would convene imminently to determine its response.
The dismissal exposes the profound fissures between the African National Congress (ANC) and the DA, the two largest partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) formed after the ANC’s historic electoral defeat in May 2024.
For the first time since the end of apartheid, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority, securing only 40.2% of the vote and 159 seats, compelling it into an uneasy alliance with the pro-business DA (21.8%, 87 seats) and smaller parties like the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
The dismissal risks collapsing the GNU just thirteen months after its formation. The DA’s Federal Executive meeting could lead to the party withdrawing from the coalition, a scenario that would trigger profound uncertainty.
If the DA exits, Ramaphosa would be forced to seek support from smaller GNU partners or even approach rivals like Jacob Zuma’s MK Party or Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The crisis also coincides with external economic pressure: US President Donald Trump’s administration recently imposed 30% tariffs on all South African imports, citing policy disagreements including land reform.
