Eastern Cape MPL Yusuf Cassim could be headed for the national executive after party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis proposed his appointment as higher education deputy minister in a sweeping proposed reshuffle of the DA’s government of national unity (GNU) contingent.
Hill-Lewis wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa seeking changes to the DA’s ministerial and deputy ministerial appointments, with former DA leader John Steenhuisen set to be moved from agriculture minister to trade, industry and competition deputy minister.
Ramaphosa has not yet announced a final decision on the timing of a reshuffle.
However, he is giving the request positive consideration, according to BusinessLIVE.
Hill-Lewis is Steenhuisen’s successor in the second-largest party in the GNU.
The reshuffle request follows Hill-Lewis’s election as DA leader in April.
Cassim, who is also the Eastern Cape DA provincial chair, said he was in formal politics for one reason.
This was his passion for the issues surrounding access and success in the higher education sector.
“I never had any ambitions to pursue politics as a career.”
Cassim founded the DA Student Organisation at Nelson Mandela University.
“I was elected as the SRC president there. Many thought it was impossible.
“And even at that time, I had no interest in entering formal politics.
“But when I put up my hand to be a member of parliament in the 2014 elections, it was only for one reason and one reason alone, and that was to serve in the higher education portfolio committee in parliament,” he said.
“I realised, like many of those that I worked with at the time, that as the SRC president at Nelson Mandela University, there’s only so much you can do, and that most challenges that existed could only be solved within the department of higher education and training.
“And as fate would have it, I was elected, and I was then appointed to the higher education portfolio committee, where I fought hard and vigorously for the issues that I feel passionate about.
“I feel as if I’ve come full circle, and I feel determined to fight for the very issues that led me into politics and to fight for the people on whose behalf I entered politics.
“It was precisely to fight for my peers and to fight for young people who are not from privileged backgrounds and who cannot buy or purchase access opportunities and resources.
“I am determined to fight for those South Africans who I feel have been set up to fail by the system.
“We have people who are hopeful about achieving their aspirations.
“When they get the acceptance letter to a university, or they get the acceptance letter into the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, they are filled with hope.
“And then they experience a system that I don’t believe has been geared towards ensuring that they succeed in achieving their aspirations.”
At a DA Eastern Cape council meeting last week, the province called for tighter internal oversight of the party’s ministers serving in the GNU.
The proposal would require ministers and deputy ministers to regularly report back to party structures, similar to how DA-run municipalities are monitored.
Some say there is currently no formal system for receiving detailed performance reports from ministers, leaving party structures disconnected from their work in national government.
However, DA federal council chair Ashor Sarupen, told the Sunday Times of several mechanisms the party had already introduced to hold its GNU cabinet members to account.
The debate on tighter internal oversight also touched on the handling of the foot-and-mouth outbreak, with members raising concerns about how difficult it had been to explain the situation to their constituents.
Cassim said the party had elected structures through which views were expressed by members and their elected representatives.
“And I believe that it’s healthy for our internal structures to discuss where the DA is in government and to discuss the accountability of our representatives.
“We are excited about the great work that’s been done by many of our representatives in the GNU, and it’s important for us to have input into ensuring that our constituents’ views are represented in our political structures.
“So it’s not brought on by anything. We are proud of the great work that’s been done by GNU representatives.”
He said another suggestion was a GNU help desk.
“Even though there’s great work that’s done in all departments to ensure that queries of residents are dealt with, we are always looking at constructive ways in which we can ensure that the people that we are elected to serve, we are responsive to them.”
Meanwhile, Hill-Lewis proposed Steenhuisen’s demotion to trade, industry and competition deputy minister.
Under the proposed changes, Willie Aucamp would replace Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture.
Aucamp’s move would leave a vacancy at forestry, fisheries and the environment, with Hill-Lewis proposing former Western Cape education MEC David Maynier for the position.
Among the other proposed changes is the removal of Mimmy Gondwe as deputy minister of higher education.
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