Steenhuisen Steps Down as DA Leader; Cape Town Mayor Hill-Lewis Enters Race for Party Top Job
CAPE TOWN, 27 February 2026. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis formally accepted a nomination to succeed John Steenhuisen as leader of the Democratic Alliance on Friday, entering South Africa's most significant opposition party leadership race after Steenhuisen announced earlier in February...
Steenhuisen Steps Down as DA Leader; Cape Town Mayor Hill-Lewis Enters Race for Party Top Job
CAPE TOWN, 27 February 2026. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis formally accepted a nomination to succeed John Steenhuisen as leader of the Democratic Alliance on Friday, entering South Africa's most significant opposition party leadership race after Steenhuisen announced earlier in February that he would not seek re-election as party leader and would remain in his cabinet role as Minister of Agriculture instead.
Hill-Lewis made the announcement in Elsies River, Cape Town, as the DA formally opened nominations for its top leadership positions ahead of the party's federal congress in April 2026. Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink endorsed Hill-Lewis, describing him as a leader capable of making "difficult decisions while standing up for the rule of law." DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga indicated he would stand for the federal chairperson position currently held by Ivan Meyer.
Steenhuisen had led the DA since 2020 and steered the party into the 2024 general election, in which the DA improved its national vote share and entered the Government of National Unity as a coalition partner of the African National Congress, the first time the DA had been part of a ruling government. He announced on 4 February that he would not seek re-election as leader, citing what party insiders described as a preference to focus on his ministerial responsibilities in the unity government. "I have loved leading the DA," he said.
Hill-Lewis's candidacy was widely anticipated. He had previously said he would not run if required to compete directly against Steenhuisen, having served as one of the party's most prominent figures through his tenure as Cape Town's executive mayor. Cape Town's record of functional service delivery relative to other South African municipalities had given Hill-Lewis significant political capital within and beyond the DA's base.
The leadership change comes as the DA faces pressure on multiple fronts: maintaining its position within the GNU ahead of 2026 local government elections, managing internal tensions over the direction of the alliance with the ANC, and responding to ActionSA's drift toward the DA as former ActionSA members join the party.
The DA is South Africa's official opposition and holds the second-largest bloc in the National Assembly. Its April 2026 federal congress will elect a new leader and federal executive.