Cape Town – The EFF has strongly criticised Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s first 100 days in office, accusing him of incompetence and corruption.
The party alleged that Steenhuisen prioritises political connections over merit in appointments, citing unqualified cronies and controversial figures like Roman Cabanac.
Cabanac became a controversial figure due to past social media posts. Despite Steenhuisen requesting his resignation two weeks ago, Cabanac remains in his position, claiming he never refused to step down.
“He continues to cling on to his cadre deployment 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,” EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said in a statement.
The EFF’s Statement on Steenhuisen’s Failure to Appoint Qualified Staff After 100 Days in Office
-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,… pic.twitter.com/MXaotCOgHE
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 30, 2024
“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.”
Mathys continued: “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.”
The red berets accused Steenhuisen of disregarding appointment rules and causing delays in departmental operations and worker salaries.
The party demanded accountability for what it perceived as racist appointments and overall leadership failures in the Department of Agriculture.
“Steenhuisen is not only failing his staff by withholding their salaries but is also holding the country hostage by delaying government 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.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
