President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday fired Deputy Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Andrew Whitfield, the most senior Democratic Alliance (DA) figure in South Africa’s coalition cabinet.
Ramaphosa’s office said the dismissal does not presage a wider reshuffle and gave no reason for Whitfield’s removal.
The DA branded the move “a very serious development” and said its federal executive would meet later on Thursday to decide how to respond.
Whitfield’s party joined the African National Congress (ANC) in government last year after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority; since then the partners have sparred over the 2025 budget and policies to tackle enduring racial inequality.