'Roadkill’ snap poll – Most readers scold Steenhuisen, but split on whether he should quit

DA leader John Steenhuisen’s description of his ex-wife as roadkill has drawn opprobrium from Daily Maverick readers. But those who responded to a snap question on Friday, 9 September, are divided on whether he should step down.  

The historian RW Johnson wrote an essay critiquing Steenhuisen’s style, and party veteran Douglas Gibson responded. Read Suné Payne’s account here.

We wanted only to ask whether he should step down; the consensus is not on this account. But what is clear is that the “roadkill” comment was against norms.  

We had 210 responses to a quick question, with 50.5% of readers saying Steenhuisen should step down and 49.5% saying he shouldn’t. 

“It is a shockingly sexist statement and is one more illustration that John Steenhuisen is not the right leader for the official opposition,” said one reader. “... he did not acknowledge the mistake but rather tried to explain it away and make it OK. At such a senior DA leadership level, this reflects badly on him and the DA.”

Most of the readers who said Steenhuisen should step down were alarmed by the gendered insouciance. “It feeds into the narrative of women abuse,” said one. A woman politician said: “I’ve been a woman in politics and know it’s a tough hustle. But Steenhuisen’s ‘quip’ revealed what was at the forefront of his mind when he was caught off-guard.” Two readers said the remark was “misogynist”.  

Most responses said the remark revealed a poor set of political values, including “respect, judgement and discernment”, that he was “tone-deaf”, and that, like most politicians, he lacked a “moral standard”.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “‘Roadkill’ rage: Steenhuisen says his remark was just a ‘bad joke’, but activists accuse him of ‘misogyny’ and ‘hypocrisy’” 

On the other hand

The readers who felt Steenhuisen should not stand down said that while the statement showed poor judgement, it was not a dismissable offence. 

“There would be no more politicians if they all stood down at a gaffe,” said one. Another said: “I do not believe an ill-considered remark in a podcast chat show should mean this career politician’s end.”