DA and John Steenhuisen to approach the courts over decision on schools

DA Leader John Steenhuisen. Image via: Ziyaad Douglas / Gallo

John Steenhuisen may face Parliamentary probe for ‘leaking’ SANDF letter

SANDF and the defence ministry have tried to turn the tables of blame on John Steenhuisen, following the circulation of a contentious letter.

by Tom Head

22-04-2020 14:42

in Offbeat

DA Leader John Steenhuisen. Image via: Ziyaad Douglas / Gallo

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has hit back at criticism the department has received over the past 24 hours, after it was revealed that almost every available SANDF member would be deployed to keep the peace during lockdown. The government has since confirmed more than 73 000 army personnel are ready and waiting for service – but John Steenhuisen has been accused of “spilling the beans’.

SANDF deployment under scrutiny

Aside from the eye-catching change in policy, it would be a letter confirming this decision that stirred up the most controversy. The communication regarding the ramp-up of SANDF operations has been making the rounds since Tuesday. The letter from Ramaphosa and is addressed to the Co-Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Cyril Xaba

In the letter, Ramaphosa essentially says that he took the decision to employ additional SANDF staff, outlines the period in which the deployment will come into effect and states how much it will cost. Ramaphosa’s ‘request’ to Xaba had a blunt tone. It didn’t come across as though he was asking for permission, but rather, it was as though the decision had been taken and the committee was simply being informed.

John Steenhuisen finds himself under fire, too…

Mapisa-Nqakula has been on the defensive for most of Wednesday. And, in a bizarre twist, it seems the ministry are now ready to take their frustrations out on DA leader John Steenhuisen. The veteran politician shared the letter online, and he now stands accused of ‘leaking’ sensitive information.

ANC MP Anele Gxoyiya has already stated that her party needs to condemn the ‘mischievous’ sharing of this letter, and the Standing Committee on Defence seem to agree. They have revealed that John Steenhuisen will be referred to the speaker for uploading the memo to his Twitter account.

The SANDF letter which has John Steenhuisen, Cyril Ramaphosa and the defence ministry in hot water

Despite questions over the validity of the deployment, the nature of the letter and the fact it essentially bypassed all Parliamentary approval, it would seem that the DA leader will be crafted into a target for the defence department. You can see the troublesome letter for yourself here: