Overview
- Presidency officials confirmed on 12 November that Willem Aucamp was appointed Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and that Dr. Dion George was removed from the portfolio.
- Alexandra Abrahams was named Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, filling a vacancy that followed Andrew Whitfield’s June removal for an unauthorised trip to the United States.
- DA leader John Steenhuisen said he formally asked the president to replace George, citing alleged underperformance and the need to field the party’s most capable representatives.
- Animal-welfare organisations WAPFSA and the National Council of SPCAs questioned Aucamp’s appointment, warning of possible conflicts tied to captive-lion policy and the lion-bone trade.
- Media coverage noted reports of George holding dual South African–US citizenship, while sources and DA statements pointed to performance rather than citizenship as the primary reason for the change.