no confidence cabinet

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 10: Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader, John Steenhuisen arrives at State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2022 at the Grand Parade at Cape Town City Hall on February 10, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa – Photo by Gallo Images / Daily Maverick / Victoria O’Regan

Watch: Steenhuisen ROASTS eleven Cabinet ministers – in four minutes!

Someone call 10111, we’ve got another fire in Parliament: John Steenhuisen roasted no fewer than ELEVEN Cabinet members on Monday.

no confidence cabinet

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 10: Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader, John Steenhuisen arrives at State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2022 at the Grand Parade at Cape Town City Hall on February 10, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa – Photo by Gallo Images / Daily Maverick / Victoria O’Regan

Someone pass us the gravy, because John Steenhuisen has just dished out a table full of roasts. The DA leader used his SONA Debate speech to annihilate the biggest under-performers in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, and it made for some blockbuster entertainment. Well, maybe not if you’re part of the ANC…

John Steenhuisen rips in to ANC Cabinet

The furious Steenhuisen slammed President Ramaphosa for talking a good game but actually achieving ‘very little’ during his four years in charge. He then hammered Cyril for failing to dismiss a clutch of ministers who have been embroiled in scandal – one way or another – during his first term.

“In a functional democracy, you would have fired most of your cabinet ages ago, but we all know why you haven’t. You see your job as holding together this rag-tag mob of crooks and free-loaders, even if that means the destruction of our country. Because you are a president of talk and not a president of action, we will make it easier for you.”

“I have just tabled a Motion of No Confidence, not in you, but in your whole cabinet in terms of Section 102 of the Constitution. If it’s not possible for you to hold your Executive accountable and still survive as president, then we will take that burden off your hands and let this House fire them for you.”

John Steenhuisen

It was a speech full of fire and brimstone, turning the screw on an already-beleaguered president. Ramaphosa is also facing criticism from within his own ranks, and Steenhuisen questioned his ability to take control of the ruling party. However, the top-tier insults were saved for these eleven Cabinet members.

First, Steenhuisen started with a trio of ministers he blamed for the July Riots…

Bheki Cele, Ayanda Dlodlo, and Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula:

“Why else would minister Bheki Cele still have a job in your cabinet after the spectacular failure of SAPS to protect people and property during the riots of July last year? Over 300 people lost their lives. You should hold him accountable, but you don’t.”

“As Minister of State Security, the lack of state intelligence during and preceding the July riots fell squarely on Dlodlo’s shoulders. You should hold her accountable, but instead you simply redeployed her to Public Service. Mapisa Nqakula, the third person responsible for July’s chaos, somehow found herself redeployed as House Speaker!”

The DA leader then went on to eviscerate a further EIGHT serving ANC ministers…

Lindiwe Sisulu:

“She has left her trail of mediocrity across five different departments. And if that wasn’t enough to get rid of her, surely her despicable attack on our constitution and our judiciary was.

Gwede Mantashe:

“We have now entered our fourteenth year of load-shedding. You can’t speak to the world about green energy and fixing our electricity crisis while ‘Mr Coal’ can’t see beyond fossil fuels.”

Patricia de Lille:

“If the Beitbridge border fence fiasco wasn’t enough reason to dismiss her, then surely the fact that Parliament burnt down on her watch was.”

Angie Motshekga:

“She’s had this same job for 13 years, and during this time almost six million children dropped out of school before their matric exams. Pass rates mean nothing when half our children don’t even sit their exams.

Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams:

“Her transgressions in her previous role as Communications Minister as well as her flouting of lockdown regulations were already enough to fire her. So why promote her to the crucial portfolio of Small Business, only to appoint an outsider to come and do her job of cutting red tape?”

Lindiwe Zulu:

“Surely, when you saw her spraying destitute people with a water cannon for the “crime” of waiting in a queue to collect a SASSA grant, there should’ve been no doubt that she’s not suitable for the job.”

Fikile Mbalula:

“How is Transport the third ministry he’s headed up? If the collapse of our railway infrastructure on his watch wasn’t grounds for dismissal, then surely this mess with our only drivers licence printing machine should’ve been the final nail in his coffin.”

Ebrahim Patel:

“Why put a sworn communist in charge of Trade? A large part of our country’s 46.6% unemployment rate rests on his shoulders. Have you held him accountable? No you haven’t.”

You can watch the full speech here, which starts from 5 minutes and 30 seconds in. The Cabinet roast begins at the 18-minute mark.