Cartoon of the day

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen will finally get his hands dirty in national government after he was appointed as the minister of agriculture.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his cabinet on Sunday, with the DA leader getting an important role in the executive.

After years of criticising the government, Steenhuisen has a chance to show that he can help improve governance in South Africa.

ALSO READ: SA’s new Cabinet: Steenhuisen’s new cushy job

His appointment has received mixed reactions.

Southern African Agri Initiative CEO Theo de Jager welcomed the appointment.

“His appointment raises hopes that the narrow ideological emphasis on race and party-political loyalty that has characterised the agriculture department’s appointments, policy and output for decades will now be a thing of the past,” he said.

Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation director Billy Claasen raised concerns about how sympathetic Steenhuisen will be towards farmworkers.

“Our farm workers are going to suffer under John Steenhuisen,” he said, according to News24.

ALSO READ: Farmers express optimism over Steenhuisen’s appointment as minister of agriculture