John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA), recently announced he would not seek re-election for the post in April, bringing an end to his six-year tenure. While Steenhuisen’s leadership delivered the DA’s first stint in government as part of a coalition of 10 parties, he has also been plagued by scandals. Perhaps the most damaging of these scandals is the revelation that Steenhuisen, who earns over $160,000, has a default court judgment against him for unpaid credit card debt. Steenhuisen, who heads South Africa’s agriculture ministry, has also come under fire for his handling of foot-and-mouth disease, which has wreaked havoc on the nation’s livestock industry. His exit has raised fears that the DA will return to the era of combative politics it engaged in before joining government.
BBC
