South Africa: Ramaphosa Confirms DA Ministers and Deputies, Gives Dina Pule Social Development Post

30 June 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)

Amid a Cabinet overhaul, President Ramaphosa confirms DA appointments, demotes John Steenhuisen, and appoints the once-disgraced Dina Pule as social development minister, raising governance concerns.

Dina Pule, the controversial politician whose string of scandals included accusations of funnelling contracts to her boyfriend and misusing government resources is back, this time as the new minister of social development.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday night announced changes to the Cabinet, all but one in line with what Democratic Alliance leader Geordin Hill-Lewis requested almost two weeks ago -- the appointment of Dina Pule as social development minister.

On 17 June, Hill-Lewis asked Cyril Ramaphosa to remove Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen from the Cabinet and demote him to deputy minister of trade, industry and competition.

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READ. MORE Inside Hill-Lewis's purge -- Steenhuisen set to pay the price for rupture with farmers June 17, 2026 On Tuesday, Ramaphosa confirmed the appointment of Willie Aucamp as the minister of agriculture and David Maynier as minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment.

Steenhuisen, a former DA leader, was demoted to deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, while Ramaphosa confirmed the appointment of Alexandra Abrahams as deputy minister of electricity and energy, Jack Bloom as deputy minister of water and sanitation and Yusuf Cassim as deputy minister of higher education. All these appointments were in line with Hill-Lewis's...

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