from DION HENRICK in Cape Town
Western Cape Bureau
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has announced that he will not seek re-election for a third term as Federal Leader, ending a leadership era defined by the party’s historic entry into national government.
Speaking in eThekwini on Sunday, Steenhuisen said his mission to transform the DA from a permanent opposition party into a governing force had been achieved, following the party’s role in forming the Government of National Unity (GNU after the 2024 general elections.
“I delivered everything that I promised my party when I was first elected as Federal Leader back in 2019,” Steenhuisen said. “I told you we would land our Moonshot and keep out the Doomsday Coalition. And today, I simply say: mission accomplished.”
Under Steenhuisen’s leadership, the DA entered national government for the first time in its history after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority.
The DA became a key partner in the GNU, securing Cabinet and parliamentary leadership positions while retaining control of the Western Cape.
Steenhuisen credited the GNU with stabilising South Africa’s economy, citing improved growth, a credit rating upgrade, removal from the FATF grey list, and early declines in unemployment. He said the DA’s influence in government blocked a VAT increase and accelerated economic reforms.
“The DA today co-governs a country that is firmly on the up,” he said.
He warned, however, that South Africa remains at risk from what he described as the “MK-EFF Doomsday Coalition”, pointing to violent scenes in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature late last year as a warning of what could happen nationally.
Steenhuisen said internal political instability within GNU parties could still derail progress if factional interests were placed ahead of national stability.
Turning to his future, Steenhuisen confirmed that he will focus fully on his role as Minister of Agriculture, particularly on combating the country’s worst-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
“It would not be fair to the incredible farmers of South Africa for me to split my time between battling the worst FMD outbreak ever and running internal leadership campaigns,” he said.
He leaves the DA significantly stronger than when he took over, with party support rising from internal polling of 16% in 2019 to around 30% nationally.
“The DA I inherited was reading its own obituary,” Steenhuisen said. “The DA I leave behind is within striking distance of becoming the biggest political party in South Africa.”
The DA will elect a new federal leader at its upcoming Federal Congress, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the opposition-turned-governing party.
– CAJ News