Excerpt: On 22 September 2025, the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, finally produced the official “record of the decision” in LFN’s High Court review case. The record exposed a shocking truth: Steenhuisen had already announced and sourced vaccines on 5 June – weeks before the permit was issued on 30 June. With no real consultation, no safety studies, and no internal reasoning, LFN has now filed a supplementary affidavit to strengthen the case that this was an irrational and hypocritical decision that must be set aside.
Access the complete court papers here
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Liberty Fighters Network (LFN) has once again blown the whistle on government irrationality – this time not from the ANC, but from John Steenhuisen himself, the leader of the Democratic Alliance and now Minister of Agriculture.
For years, the DA has accused the ANC of backroom deals, secrecy, and dodgy decision-making. Yet, in a shocking twist of hypocrisy, Steenhuisen has now been caught red-handed making his own scaly move: announcing the mass vaccination of South Africa’s poultry against avian influenza and even sourcing the vaccines – all before any legal permit had even been issued.
Vaccines First, Permits Later
The official record shows that on 5 June 2025, Steenhuisen proudly declared that the first-ever mass vaccination campaign against bird flu in South Africa would roll out. But here’s the kicker: the permit authorising such vaccination was only issued 25 days later, on 30 June 2025.
In other words, the Minister didn’t just jump the gun – he ignored the gun altogether and fired blanks into the air, pretending the bullets were already approved. Vaccines were obtained and the programme was launched long before the ink on any authorisation could even dry.
Record Delivered Under Court Pressure
It was only after LFN recently lodged its High Court review application that the Minister was compelled to produce the “record of the decision”. That record was delivered to us on 22 September 2025 – and it turned out to be embarrassingly thin.
After examining the bundle, LFN has now filed a supplementary affidavit to strengthen our case. The record contains glossy media statements, old strategy documents, and cut-and-paste guidelines from international bodies like the WOAH and FAO. What it does not contain are the basics:
- No minutes of meetings where the risks were properly weighed.
- No consultation with the Department of Health or Food Control on whether vaccinated poultry products are safe for human consumption.
- No South African scientific studies or peer-reviewed evidence to justify the decision.
- No evidence of public participation or engagement with farmers and consumers.
In short: no real reasoning, just political posturing.
Hypocrisy Laid Bare
South Africans have grown used to hearing DA politicians accuse the ANC of shady procurement, scaly tenders, and reckless decision-making. Yet Steenhuisen has now walked the same road. The very behaviour the DA condemned is exactly what its own leader has now delivered – a rushed, predetermined, and irrational decision that bypassed due process.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about chickens. It’s about accountability, transparency, and respect for the law. Decisions of national consequence cannot be taken first and authorised later. If we allow such conduct to go unchecked, tomorrow it won’t just be poultry – it will be every sector of our food chain and economy subject to political whims rather than scientific evidence and lawful process.
LFN has taken the fight to court to have Steenhuisen’s reckless decision reviewed and set aside. With our supplementary affidavit now before the High Court, the case against this irrational and hypocritical decision is stronger than ever.
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