Roman Cabanac Appointed Chief of Staff in Agriculture Ministry

Roman Cabanac, known for his controversial views as a podcaster and conservative activist, has been appointed as the chief of staff in the office of the Minister of Agriculture. This appointment follows closely after the Democratic Alliance (DA) faced criticism for appointing another contentious figure, Renaldo Gouws, as a Member of Parliament.

Cabanac, the founder of the podcast Morning Shot, attempted to enter politics in 2019 as a founding member of the Capitalist Party of South Africa, which was commonly referred to as the ‘Purple Cow’. The party did not succeed in the 2019 general election.

According to Cabanac, he was approached directly by John Steenhuisen to manage his office within the Department of Agriculture. He expressed his satisfaction with the appointment, stating that there is a lack of ‘woke’ individuals in the department, emphasizing a focus on work rather than public criticism.

With prior experience managing large teams in both the private and non-profit sectors, Cabanac believes he is well-qualified for the position. He clarified that he did not have a personal relationship with Steenhuisen prior to his appointment but had previously collaborated with prominent figures such as Helen Zille.

Cabanac has garnered notoriety in the past for his political statements and his involvement in various controversies on social media platforms. He particularly faced backlash for interviewing individuals with extremist views, including Nazi sympathizers, during his time on The Renegade Report.

A representative from the South African Jewish Report noted that Cabanac’s online discussions often allowed for racist and anti-Semitic remarks without challenge. In a recent discussion on CliffCentral, he described political parties in South Africa as incompetent and questioned their ability to govern effectively.

As of now, John Steenhuisen has not publicly commented on Cabanac’s appointment.