John Steenhuisen London

John Steenhuisen was joined on his visit to London by the party’s Deputy Chief Whip, Siviwe Gwarube – Photo: Twitter / DA

On his travels: Why is John Steenhuisen in LONDON this week?

John Steenhuisen found himself in the land of bad weather and good pubs this week – here’s why the DA leader went to London.

John Steenhuisen London

John Steenhuisen was joined on his visit to London by the party’s Deputy Chief Whip, Siviwe Gwarube – Photo: Twitter / DA

Has South Africa got its own international man of mystery? John Steenhuisen has undertaken another trip to Europe this week, after he arrived in London to conduct an oversight visit.

Why is John Steenhuisen in London?

The DA leader – who recently completed a six-day tour of Ukraine to highlight the global significance of Russia’s invasion – was on a mission to investigate how consular services for South Africans in the UK, and the rest of the world, could be improved.

“Over the past two days I have concluded a successful oversight visit to the Department of Home Affairs office at the South African Consulate in London. We came in order to determine how consular services can be improved for South Africans living overseas.”

“South Africans living in the United Kingdom and elsewhere abroad deserve to get the quality services for which they pay through their taxes. It is their constitutional right to have South African citizenship, a sense of identity, and the ability to vote in the upcoming General Election.”

John Steenhuisen
  • Steenhuisen concluded that the London Consulate in particular is under-staffed, and chronically outdated…

DA laud UK business trip – but critics have a different take…

His whistle-stop tour didn’t involve any big red buses, high teas, or visits to Buckingham Palace – and he will now write to the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, to request a meeting and address concerns around why these systems have not yet been digitised.

However, not everyone is onboard with John and his jet-setting. One of his most outspoken critics has lampooned the trip, implying that Steenhuisen has ‘got his priorities wrong’. GOOD Party Secretary Brett Herron didn’t hold back with his sardonic takedown on Wednesday.

“Wow! Hells bells! The DA’s priorities aren’t in a country where people eat sand, or cats and dogs, to survive the scourge of poverty and unemployment. No, the poor expats are suffering…”

Brett Herron