Katzenellenbogen: The Leon lobbying furore is a storm in a teacup

Ousted agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has accused former DA leader Tony Leon and his firm, Resolve Communications, of engineering his sacking over the foot-and-mouth disease response, dubbing agricultural lobbyists "AfriMaga." Daily Friend columnist Jonathan Katzenellenbogen argues the real driver was DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis's political calculation, not Leon's influence, and that lobbying (including Resolve's work for Starlink and questions raised by an MP with past ties to the firm) isn't inherently improper unless favours are exchanged. He contends the episode is unlikely to sway November's local elections, particularly in Johannesburg, where Helen Zille's mayoral bid remains unaffected..By Jonathan Katzenellenbogen*.The former DA leader, John Steenhuisen, has exacted vengeance on his party and caused a furore that might stay around for some time.Initially, the signs were that Steenhuisen had quietly left his position as DA leader. Then the new leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, fired him as Minister of Agriculture, apparently despite promises to retain him in his post.Now Steenhuisen is blaming former DA leader Tony Leon and agricultural interests, whom he calls AfriMaga, for his firing. The firm Leon chairs, Resolve Communications, acted for agricultural interests in lobbying against Steenhuisen’s initial refusal to allow farmers to buy and apply vaccines to deal with the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.What triggered Steenhuisen’s firing was more likely to have been a political calculation by Hill-Lewis rather than any pressure from Leon. Farmers, many of whom are DA supporters, were outraged by Steenhuisen’s slow response to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.Steenhuisen has also suggested that it was improper for Resolve to have arranged a meeting between a representative of its client, Starlink, Elon Musk’s low-earth orbit satellite network, and Communications Minister Solly Malatsi. But Malatsi said his meeting with a Starlink representative was arranged through the law firm Webber Wentzel.Steenhuisen’s charges are misplaced, but he is certainly saying that Resolve Communications used its political connections to open doors and lobby for its clients. That is not illegal or reprehensible. It is pretty much what lobby firms, who are often public relations outfits or law firms, do.Lobbying government departments, ministers, and legislators is recognised as a perfectly legitimate activity in democratic societies. It only becomes illegal where there is an exchange of favours or a payment to a government official to carry out a policy.Earlier this week, the Daily Maverick accused DA MP Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba, formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Resolve, of favouring a client by asking questions in Parliament. She has asked questions about tighter controls over the SIM card registration process to better prevent criminal use. While the Daily Maverick says that is not part of DA policy, the party denies this. So there is nothing wrong in this.An inference from Steenhuisen’s remarks is that when approached by Resolve, DA officials might have felt intimidated into doing business with the former party leader.Holds no positionWhile Leon was called in by the party to advise on negotiations with the ANC around the DA’s participation in the government of national unity, he holds no position within the DA.Leon certainly knows most of the top leaders of the party, but committees have the final say on candidate selection. Besides, most elected officials should have the confidence to tell Leon to go away.Steenhuisen has fired up a storm around Leon and the DA in parts of our media and in sections of the chattering classes. And some of those who have lost their political battles in the DA are behind Steenhuisen on this issue.Cue a bit of feigned outrage, and a repetition of, “This sort of stuff does not only happen in the ANC.”The outraged hope that this will get across the idea to voters that the DA is just as corrupt as the ANC.Last week, two readers of my column urged me to write about what one of them termed “the scandal”.“Nothing has been proved and there is no evident wrongdoing,” I replied to one.“Yeah, I accept that and I know where you are coming from, but I think that clubbiness of the DA is a huge problem,” he replied on WhatsApp.Clubbiness?Why did Leon not approach Steenhuisen directly on the foot and mouth disease issue if all is so “clubby” in the party? The top leaders, present and former, know each other, but don’t all get along all the time. But yes, there is a point of connection. It provides an entry point to discuss potential business, but that is not illegal and does not guarantee business for Resolve.One problem Leon and the DA face is that they are intensely disliked by the left and the ANC, although many who fall broadly into these categories are praying that Helen Zille will be in a position to turn Johannesburg around after 4 November.Proved correctTony Leon is disliked by many in the left, precisely because his political judgement has been proved correct over the years. During his tenure, he was assertive and unapologetic for the DA’s strong opposition to the ANC at a time when there was immense optimism about the country under ANC rule. It was a time when we all were jubilant over the relatively peaceful transition from apartheid and did not worry too much about a one-party dominant system. The DA’s 1999 “Fight Back” election campaign made many whites uncomfortable, maybe out of fear that what was viewed as the “white” opposition would present the ANC with a target. The “Fight Back” slogan was about countering ANC maladministration and corruption, but it was seen to have a strong racial connotation.I told Leon that the “Fight Back” campaign was over the top. In retrospect, I was wrong not to see its validity and the importance of a vibrant and relevant opposition.Leon is still attracting detractors precisely because he comes across as arrogant, abrupt, and did not give the ruling party any quarter, and was a political success.At the 1994 election, the then Democratic Party fought a lacklustre campaign under its leader, Zach de Beer, and was almost wiped out. After the election in 1994, Leon became leader. He took the party from seven MPs in 1994 to 50 at the 2005 election, and resigned as leader two years later. He saved and grew the party and laid the basis for a strong opposition.My word on this counts for little as I admit to knowing Leon for ages, although we are more acquaintances than friends, and I am a DA supporter. But I would be swayed if there was evidence of any wrongdoing.The press have the job of looking into the allegations, but also have the duty of saying if there is nothing to them..Read more:.Solly Moeng: Weaponised PR - Why Tony Leon's Resolve scandal exposes the whole industry.It is unlikely this episode will heavily influence the upcoming elections. In Johannesburg, Helen Zille, the DA candidate for Mayor, has nothing to do with the storm, and given the urgency of urban decay, the voters are desperate for a turnaround.Internal processesCertainly, the DA cannot afford to even seem to slip up. As the party grows, it will be more difficult to ensure that its sound internal processes rapidly deal with wrongdoing.In the US and European Union, there are laws that require lobbyists to register and reveal their clients. Narrowing the room for conspiracy theories about lobbying would help lobbyists, governments, and democracy..*Jonathan Katzenellenbogen is a Johannesburg-based freelance journalist. His articles have appeared on DefenceWeb, Politicsweb, as well as in a number of overseas publications. Katzenellenbogen has also worked on Business Day and as a TV and radio reporter and newsreader. He has a Master's degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management..This article was first published by Daily Friend and is republished with permission..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.

Katzenellenbogen: The Leon lobbying furore is a storm in a teacup

Related Stories

BizNews Edge: Dr Frans Cronje on what the Steenhuisen interview really cost the DA

WSM: Going the full Prince Andrew: Steenhuisen's self-immolating interview

‘AfriMAGA’, bots and broken promises — Steenhuisen's bombshell DA exit interview

John Matisonn: Hill-Lewis’ first big test – he hasn’t passed it yet