Long-standing DA member Dion George cuts ties with the party

After more than three decades as a DA member, Dion George has resigned from the party. 

George made the announcement during an interview on ENCA. 

In a subsequent statement he released, George claims he has been pushed out of the party following his fallout with its leader, John Steenhuisen.

In November last year, the DA leader John Steenhuisen wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting him to replace Dion George as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment. 

George said this was due to his hard-line stance against the wildlife-breeding and hunting industry.

George was eventually replaced as minister by Willie Aucamp, who previously had business stakes in game farming. 

However, Steenhuisen maintained that George was removed for poor performance in his portfolio. 

Following this, George, who was also DA’s federal finance chair, revealed publicly Steenhuisen’s money issues. 

This included Steenhuisen’s default judgment in failing to settle his R150 000 credit card debt and allegations that he was abusing the DA’s credit card on Uber Eats, among other things. 

On Monday, the DA’s federal council cleared Steenhuisen on the credit card allegations. 

The Democratic Alliance ( DA) said it would release a statement soon in response to Dion George announcing that he has quit the party.