JOHANNESBURG – Newly-elected Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has not ruled out the possibility of a reshuffle of the party’s ministers in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Speaking to eNCA on Monday ahead of his first community engagement as the party’s leader, Hill-Lewis said while there will not be an immediate reshuffle, he will, in the coming weeks, discuss this with the ministers and review their various positions.
“It’s something that I want to think about. I want to discuss that with my colleagues and with those ministers their various performances,” Hill-Lewis said.
“In the DA we are performance driven, no person is entitled to keep a position forever just because they’ve got it. We want to use those positions to make a positive difference for South Africans.”
He said he will also meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the possibility of a reshuffle.
“It’s not off the cards,” he reiterated.
As of the June 2024 formation of the GNU, the DA has six Cabinet ministers. Additionally, the party holds six deputy minister positions, totalling 12 members in the national executive.
Hill-Lewis said the DA’s relationship in the government of national unity was “reasonably stable”, although a genuine partnership has been lacking.
“The GNU is by-and-large working positively, primarily, on the economic reform agenda. Of course, I don’t think that reform agenda is going nearly fast enough to get the economic growth we need to get people out of poverty. A growing concern is we are losing the country to criminality.”
While cracks and divisions in the party became evident in the lead up to the party’s Federal Congress which was held at the weekend, Hill-Lewis argued this was not a show of factionalism.
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“The DA is a huge party. It has tens of thousands of members and there is always going to be people up to their own thing, pushing their own agenda. In general, there is unanimity and support behind the mission we set out. I think the DA will go forward now pursuit of this mission.”
Hill-Lewis said it was his firm intention to change the perception that the DA was a party for few.
“Of course, our opponents will continue to drive that perception because its all they have on us but the vast majority of South Africans already agree that we are the best party of government in South Africa. Where the DA governs, things works and institutions start to be fixed and economies start to grow. We just have to side-step our opponents and get to the people of South Africa.”
“It’s not to say everyone will vote for us overnight, its about steady growth and trust building,” he added.
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While he conceded that the party needed to intensify its efforts to reach previously disadvantaged communities, he disputed the notion that DA-run municipalities only delivered services to a select few.
“I don’t think that’s true at all. I have worked hard every single day to demonstrate that the DA delivers to everyone no matter where they live and where they are born.”