The dramatic downfall of ‘Dion Abroad’

Amid his dramatic axing this week, it has emerged that former environment minister Dion George refused to move into his official residence in Pretoria because it “did not meet his standards”.

This is the latest development in the ongoing saga over George’s stunning exit from the department of forestry, fisheries & the environment (DFFE), where he is also said to have imposed a “reign of terror” in which he undermined experienced staff. In particular, one of his special advisers allegedly repeatedly issued unlawful instructions to officials at George’s behest.

Such conduct is in breach of the Public Service Act and its regulations, which bar special advisers from having direct contact with DFFE officials and giving them instructions, as that is the preserve of their director-general.

Such behaviour by special advisers is frowned upon by those in government, as it usurps the powers of directors-general and their deputies, who are considered experts when it comes to administering departments.

It has also come to light that George undertook frequent international trips, some of which were against the advice of senior officials, earning himself the moniker “Dion Abroad” among sources in the DFFE and the DA.

His frequent trips abroad included a trip to Antarctica in January sponsored by a UK-based company, which he instructed his staff not to declare. He apparently also ordered them not to take photographs of him while he was there because “people are already starting to whine about my travelling”.

DFFE officials advised him against this trip, but he went ahead with it anyway.

George had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

The employees there were experiencing apartheid in 2025. He had this guy he was using to terrorise everyone.

—  Anonymous DFFE source

DFFE officials this week told of how George lived it up at swanky Pretoria hotels after he demanded that his official residence in the country’s administrative capital be upgraded to meet his high standards before he moved into it.

The DFFE has confirmed he spent more than R75,000 on hotel accommodation each time he stayed in Pretoria.

“A house was allocated to the former minster. However, the house has since been relinquished … to [the department of] public works. The minister never occupied the house.

“The delay in [George occupying the house] was due to the refurbishments [being made to it], which took longer than anticipated. By the time the house was declared ready for occupation, the minister opted to relinquish it … to public works, [so that it could be used] by other members of the executive who needed it more, as he was spending less time in Pretoria,” said acting DFFE spokesperson Zolile Nqayi.

Insiders in the DA and the government also indicated there was a tendency among DA members of the executive to avoid using their state-allocated houses, either in Cape Town or Pretoria, to avoid tax on fringe benefits.

DFFE sources also spoke of how George, through his special adviser Shelton Mollentze, made life difficult for senior officials there. The DFFE was allegedly effectively rendered dysfunctional by their conduct, which included constant demands to approve even the most mundane matters.

“The department became dysfunctional because people were afraid to do things. For everything, you had to ask for permission — even for small things.

“When someone needed to travel, you had to ask for permission. When you appointed an acting person, you had to ask for permission. But [George] travelled all over the world, with his staff tagging along. He took two personal assistants and his special adviser,” said a person familiar with the matter.

Another DFFE insider said George’s attitude towards officials also smacked of racism.

“The employees there were experiencing apartheid in 2025. He had this guy he was using to terrorise everyone. It was really bad. They took people for granted … they were just running amok. They did not understand the department’s policies and were issuing unlawful instructions,” said the source.

“Unlawful instructions were being issued by a person who was not even supposed to be speaking to officials in the department, because that person was a special adviser. The special adviser was just disrespecting everyone and the director-general.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa dropped George from his cabinet this week after DA leader and agriculture minister John Steenhuisen asked him to do so. The blue party’s boss cited George’s poor performance as the reason for axing him.

He has been replaced by DA MP and the party’s national spokesman Willie Aucamp, who is due to be sworn in on Monday.

But other DA sources have claimed Steenhuisen replaced George with Aucamp, seen as his loyalist, to consolidate his grip on the party ahead of its elective congress in 2026.