The Democratic Alliance (DA) has endorsed party leader John Steenhuisen’s decision to appoint the controversial podcaster Roman Cabanac, affirming that “he carefully considered the decision”.
Steenhuisen discreetly appointed Cabanac as the chief of staff in the department of agriculture.
This development, which only came to light this week, has sparked public controversy.
DA’s spokesperson Willie Acucamp told IOL that they trust their leader’s decision and cannot comment further.
“He applied his mind to this,” he said.
Cabanac’s rise in politics has included controversies, especially notable during his unsuccessful 2019 political campaign for the Capitalist Party of SA. He is also known for his Morning Shot podcast.
His tenure as a co-host of The Renegade Report provoked criticism from Jewish communities, largely due to his interviews with guests espousing extremist views.
Cabanac and Steenhuisen did not have a personal relationship before his appointment.
Their previous interactions were primarily professional, mostly occurring during interviews on the Morning Shot podcast.
Meanwhile, the DA has faced controversy over Renaldo Gouws' past hate speech and racist remarks, despite his election as an Member of Parliament (MP) earlier this year.
This sparked outrage, particularly among Black communities, who called for Gouws to be removed as an MP.
Although Gouws is under investigation for his racial slurs, he remains an MP and currently serves as the deputy spokesperson for both the Tourism and the Auditor General portfolios.
Despite his return to Parliament, Gouws continues to be suspended from DA party activities.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics