标签： Africa

South Africa’s political landscape faces renewed turbulence as Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen announces his resignation following multiple scandals that have shaken the party’s carefully cultivated image of integrity. The development triggers a potentially divisive leadership contest that threatens to expose racial faultlines within the opposition party.

The DA, historically perceived as representing racial minorities, joined the governing coalition for the first time following the 2024 elections that failed to produce an outright winner. Steenhuisen, serving as Agriculture Minister in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet, found himself embroiled in controversies that ultimately forced his political retreat.

The minister faced intense criticism from farming communities over his handling of a devastating foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that crippled South Africa’s livestock industry. Theo de Jager of the Southern African Agri Initiative accused Steenhuisen’s administration of systematically silencing critics through exclusion and isolation tactics.

More damaging emerged a financial scandal revealing Steenhuisen faced a default court judgment for unpaid personal credit card debt exceeding 150,000 rand despite earning an annual salary of 2.69 million rand. The Daily Maverick’s revelation prompted public scrutiny of how a leader unable to manage personal finances could oversee national agricultural policy.

The controversy deepened when Steenhuisen orchestrated the dismissal of Environment Minister Dion George, the DA’s federal finance chair. While official reasons cited under-performance, conservation groups decried the move as a ‘political execution’ linked to George’s anti-wildlife trafficking stance. The EMS Foundation accused Steenhuisen of aligning with wildlife breeding interests upon assuming his ministerial portfolio.

George’s subsequent resignation revealed further complications: he had confiscated Steenhuisen’s party-issued credit card last year due to unreconciled spending on UberEats, car rentals, and hotel accommodations. Although a DA inquiry cleared Steenhuisen of wrongdoing, the cumulative scandals proved politically insurmountable.

Political analysts offer contrasting assessments of Steenhuisen’s legacy. Sandile Swana cited the leader’s 2010 extramarital affair, public fallout with George, and financial management issues as evidence of poor leadership. Conversely, Khanyi Magubane suggested Steenhuisen’s cooperative relationship with the ANC in coalition government represented the ‘core issue’ leading to his departure, disappointing DA hardliners expecting continued opposition.

The leadership contest now pits Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis against Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga, with analysts suggesting racial dynamics may influence the outcome. Magubane noted the DA’s conservative base might resist a black leader, reflecting persistent racial divisions within the party despite efforts to broaden its appeal following Mmusi Maimane’s leadership from 2015-2019.

The developments underscore the challenges facing South Africa’s political evolution three decades after apartheid’s end, as historical divisions continue shaping contemporary governance dynamics.

The United States has executed a second deportation flight transporting non-Cameroonian nationals to Yaoundé, according to legal representatives familiar with the matter. This development follows the recent revelation that nine African migrants from various countries were secretly relocated to Cameroon in January through a controversial immigration program.

US-based attorney Alma David of Novo Legal Group confirmed the arrival of eight third-country nationals aboard Monday’s flight to the Cameroonian capital. Both David and Cameroon-based lawyer Joseph Awah Fru, who are providing legal assistance to the previously deported group, anticipate extending counsel to the newly arrived deportees.

“My immediate priority is addressing their state of shock,” Fru stated regarding the psychological impact on deportees.

The Trump administration’s program, which involves transferring migrants to nations without established connections, has drawn significant criticism after documents revealed that eight of the nine individuals deported in January possessed protection orders from US immigration judges. These judicial protections prohibited their return to home countries due to credible fears of persecution, torture, or violence—particularly concerning LGBTQ+ individuals and political activists.

Cameroon becomes the latest participant in a series of agreements with at least seven African nations, including South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea. State Department records indicate that some countries have received multimillion-dollar payments to accept deported migrants, though specific terms of the Cameroon arrangement remain undisclosed.

According to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report compiled by Democratic staff, the administration has allocated approximately $40 million to deport nearly 300 migrants to non-native countries across Africa and Central America. Internal documents reviewed by the AP reveal 47 third-country agreements in various negotiation stages, with 15 finalized and 10 nearing completion.

The State Department declined to comment on diplomatic communications but affirmed that “implementing the Trump Administration’s immigration policies remains a top priority,” emphasizing their “unwavering commitment to end illegal and mass immigration.”

Human rights advocates express grave concerns that deporting migrants to countries with documented human rights abuses—particularly under Cameroon’s long-standing President Paul Biya—creates risks of denied due process and potential mistreatment. This concern echoes the situation in Eswatini, where four deportees have been held without charges in maximum-security confinement for over six months despite completing US criminal sentences.