Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and senior party figure Dion George has resigned from the DA, Parliament and all party leadership positions, saying the situation inside the party has become “intolerable” and accusing DA leader John Steenhuisen of abandoning the party’s values in order to remain in the Government of National Unity.
In a detailed statement he exclusively made on eNCA on Thursday, George confirmed that he had cancelled his DA membership, which he has held since 1995, and resigned as chairperson of the party’s Federal Finance Committee. He also stepped down as a Member of Parliament, a position he has occupied since January 2008.
“Today, I have written to the Democratic Alliance to cancel my party membership,” George said. “I am being pushed out and it is no longer feasible for me to remain in the party.”
George said tensions escalated after reports emerged in November last year that Steenhuisen had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting his removal as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment while he was representing South Africa at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
Ramaphosa subsequently dismissed George from Cabinet and appointed DA MP Willie Aucamp as his replacement.
“I heard via the media that John Steenhuisen had written to the President to request my removal while I was out of the country representing South Africa,” George said. “That was the moment I realised that the situation had become untenable.”
He said repeated requests by his attorneys for documents and written explanations regarding his removal were ignored, while he was issued with a gag order after defending himself publicly. “This gag order did not apply to others, who continued to attack me without any response or support from the party,” he said.
George accused Steenhuisen of allowing the DA to be captured by the ANC through its participation in the GNU. “I cannot remain in a party that has, through the actions of its current leader, been captured by the ANC and other criminal interests,” he said. “The result of this capture is that the DA has been completely muzzled and lost its voice.”
While he said he initially supported the DA joining the GNU in the national interest, he believes that participation has come at too high a cost. “With skilful leadership and by jealously guarding our integrity, the DA’s participation in the GNU could have worked,” George said. “Instead, Steenhuisen wanted co option. He wanted to remain in the GNU at any cost to the party’s values.”
Earlier this week, the DA’s Federal Executive ordered a disciplinary inquiry into both George and Steenhuisen following months of internal disputes. This followed a Federal Legal Commission report that cleared Steenhuisen of wrongdoing related to the use of a DA issued credit card.
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George rejected the findings, calling the report “the final straw”.
“The FLC whitewash of Steenhuisen’s credit card misuse was the final straw for me,” he said. “This matter requires a full and independent forensic investigation that must be disclosed to the DA’s voters and donors.”
He confirmed that he has submitted a complaint to the Public Protector, alleging abuse of power and improper conduct linked to his removal from Cabinet.
“I did my job without fear, favour or prejudice,” George said.
“But I discovered that was not what Steenhuisen wanted.”
George warned that the DA faces a defining moment ahead of its federal congress in April.
“If South Africa is going to be a healthy democracy, it needs a strong and uncaptured opposition. The DA had one final shot to make that change and it had better not miss it.”
