Hot Off the Press…

Hot off the press this morning is that former Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Dion George, has resigned as member of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

George made the announcement during an interview with eNCA this morning.

“The situation has become intolerable. I am being pushed out and it is no longer feasible for me to remain in the Party. I heard via the media on 7 November 2025, that John Steenhuisen had written to the President to request my removal as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, while I was representing our country at COP30 in Brazil,” George says in a statement.

“I cannot remain in a party that has, through the actions of its current leader, John Steenhuisen, been captured by the African National Congress (ANC) and other criminal interests. The result of this capture is that the DA has been completely muzzled and lost its voice and its ability to lead in South Africa’s interest.”

George was removed as minister in November, at the party’s request, and replaced by party spokesperson Willie Aucamp.

Read Firing Dion George: Performance Failure or Pure Party Politics?

The DA says in a statement it is “unfortunate that Dr. George has resigned before answering a pending disciplinary before the DA’s Federal Legal Commission.

“These include:

1. Allegations that staff appointments to his Ministerial office were done in a way that unjustifiably raised their salaries, at public expense;

2. Allegations that staff in his ministry sought departmental information to pursue internal party political matters; and

3. Bringing the party into disrepute through the media.

“It would have been preferable for Dr. George to go through the FLC process to test the veracity of these allegations.

“The rest of the FLC process will proceed as determined by the DA’s Federal Executive on Monday.”