News24.com | Another demotion for Mazzone as she moves from state security role back to communications

DA's former chief whip and current communications spokesperson, Natasha Mazzone. (Jan Gerber/News24)

• DA leader John Steenhuisen has made immediate changes to the party's spokespersons in Parliament, gearing up for the 2024 elections.
• Natasha Mazzone has been returned to her position as the party's communication spokesperson.
• The party's former public services and administration spokesperson, Leon Schreiber, has been appointed as strategy and communications advisor to Steenhuisen.

DA's Natasha Mazzone, who lost out on a role to become deputy federal chairperson at the DA's recent congress, has been booted out as national security advisor to party leader John Steenhuisen.

Mazzone, who had taken over the role in August after being axed as chief whip and demoted to the backbenches to serve on the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), will now become the party's spokesperson for communications. A role she previously held. 

According to DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube, Steenhuisen will now get his advice on national security matters from Dianne Kohler Barnard, whom the party has appointed as spokesperson for state security. Kohler Barnard was the spokesperson for communications. 

Early this month, the Sunday Times reported that the JSCI committee barred Mazzone from attending meetings due to her possessing dual citizenship, South African and Italian, and failing to obtain a security clearance. 

On Friday, in a statement, Steenhuisen announced the changes the DA had made to its Parliament representatives, which he said "aligned" with President Cyril Ramaphosa's Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year. He said the changes were also in preparation for the upcoming elections. 

"The shadow cabinet thus acts as a reflection of the new executive, ensuring each and every minister and ministry has a dedicated DA watchdog of accountability," said Steenhuisen.

The DA also announced the appointment of a new national spokesperson to replace Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink. The additional national spokesperson is Werner Horn, who will work alongside the party's current spokesperson and newly elected deputy federal chairperson Solly Malatsi.

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The party's former public services and administration spokesperson Leon Schreiber has been designated as strategy and communications advisor to Steenhuisen. 

Schreiber played a central role in pushing forward the "Cut the Cabinet perks bill," which aimed to challenge the legitimacy of the ministerial handbook and the luxurious treatment offered "secretly" to Cabinet members. 

In his letter of appointment, Steenhuisen told Schreiber he was looking forward to working with him as the party approached "the 2024 moonshot elections to demonstrate to South Africans that we remain the only party to offer hope and change to the people of South Africa". 

"I trust that you will apply the very best of your talents and ability to this position," reads the letter.

Other noticeable changes include the appointment of Samantha Graham as the spokesperson for electricity and an additional member of public enterprises, public service, and administration. 

Graham was the former public works and infrastructure spokesperson.

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Emma Powell and Luyolo Mphithi have also been moved to different roles within the party's spokesperson structure. 

Powell has taken over as international relations and cooperation spokesperson, leaving her role as human settlements spokesperson. Mphithi has taken over from Powell, and Nazley Sharif has taken over from him as a spokesperson for women, youth, and persons with disabilities. 

Steenhuisen said the DA had made the changes to focus and prepare for "the most important election in South Africa's post-apartheid history".