The Presidency has confirmed the dismissal of Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield, who was serving as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Government of National Unity (GNU).
In a short statement issued on Thursday, the Presidency thanked Whitfield for his service but did not provide specific reasons for his removal.
However, news channel eNCA has reported that Whitfield, a Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament, was fired for defying a directive from the president by travelling to the United States earlier this year.
Whitfield was part of a DA delegation that met with U.S. lawmakers and members of former President Donald Trump’s administration in March—despite prior warnings from the Presidency against the trip.
In response to the dismissal, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille has called an urgent meeting of the party’s Federal Executive to discuss the implications of the decision and chart a way forward.
The incident has added fresh tension within the newly formed GNU, raising questions about coordination and cohesion among its members.