In recent weeks, the Democratic Alliance (DA) forwarded the name of Willie Aucamp to President Cyril Ramaphosa as its preferred replacement for fellow party member John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture. We are not privy to the internal party dynamics that led to the change.
By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming
However, when DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis announced the party’s changes to the Government of National Unity (GNU) executives, he said the new team, led by Aucamp, would strengthen the DA’s contribution to government and better reflect the mandate it received from voters.
On 1 July, President Ramaphosa made it official. South Africa now has a new Minister of Agriculture in Willie Aucamp.
Whatever the politics behind the appointment, we have come to understand that Cabinet reshuffles are part of the normal rhythm of government. Ministers come, ministers go and portfolios change hands. But for farmers, very little changes on the ground simply because a new name appears on the office door.
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Giving the new minister a fair chance
Aucamp, like any minister appointed to a new portfolio, deserves the opportunity to demonstrate why his party believes he is the right person for the job.
As an industry, we were only beginning to understand John Steenhuisen’s style of leadership. From a media perspective, he was an accessible minister who never shied away from difficult conversations or tough questions. That openness was appreciated.
Steenhuisen also settled into the portfolio remarkably well, particularly at a time when the country was battling serious outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. He leaves behind a solid understanding of the agricultural sector, and we wish him well in his new role at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
Aucamp will now need time to immerse himself in the complexities of agriculture, build relationships with officials across the country’s agricultural departments, engage with organised agriculture and farmer organisations, and learn to navigate the bureaucracy that is so often blamed for slowing service delivery.
As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. It would be unfair to either praise or criticise Aucamp before he has had the opportunity to establish himself and demonstrate his own style of leadership.
The challenges have not changed
However, the issues that confronted Steenhuisen will still confront Aucamp.
A maize farmer in the Free State still wakes up worrying about rising input costs. A livestock farmer in KwaZulu-Natal still worries about foot-and-mouth disease. Emerging farmers across the country continue to struggle to access finance, infrastructure, markets and secure land rights. Exporters still need ports that function efficiently. Smallholder farmers still require extension services that reach them.
The challenges remain exactly where they were yesterday.
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Agriculture needs continuity, not disruption
One of the biggest risks associated with changing political leadership is losing momentum.
Every minister arrives with new priorities, new advisers and, understandably, a desire to leave a personal legacy. While fresh ideas are always welcome, agriculture is not a sector that can afford to start from scratch every few years.
Disease control programmes cannot be paused. Market access negotiations cannot lose momentum. Infrastructure projects cannot be delayed because new political leadership wants to review existing plans.
Agriculture operates on seasons, not political cycles. Crops will not wait for Cabinet to settle in. Neither will livestock diseases, droughts nor international competitors.
Farmers judge results, not appointments
One thing I have come to appreciate about farmers is that they are among the most practical people in this country. They are far less interested in who occupies the ministerial office than in whether government delivers.
What they want is effective veterinary services, functioning infrastructure, access to markets, practical support for emerging farmers, policy certainty and leadership that enables them to farm sustainably and profitably.
That matters far more than any swearing-in ceremony.
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The new minister has an opportunity
As I have said, every new minister deserves a fair opportunity to prove themselves.
Agriculture remains one of South Africa’s strongest economic sectors, contributing significantly to employment, exports, food security and rural development despite the enormous challenges it faces. The new minister inherits a sector that has shown remarkable resilience through droughts, disease outbreaks, logistics failures and global uncertainty.
He also inherits relationships with organised agriculture, commodity organisations, emerging farmer structures and agribusinesses that should be strengthened rather than restarted. Listening will be just as important as leading.
Government must accelerate delivery
South Africa is not short of agricultural policies, master plans or strategies.
What farmers increasingly want is implementation. The Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan contains many worthwhile commitments. The sector has repeatedly identified priorities around biosecurity, infrastructure, transformation, market access, financing and skills development.
The challenge has never been a shortage of plans. The challenge has always been turning those plans into visible progress on farms. That is why Cabinet reshuffles should ultimately be judged not by headlines or political calculations, but by whether they improve the environment in which farmers operate.
The faces around the Cabinet table may change. The needs of South African farmers do not.
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