Calm departure, turbulent consequences for the DA

Minster of Agriculture and DA leader John Steenhuisen. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen Outgoing DA leader John Steenhuisen wants his exit from the party’s leadership race to be read as calm, deliberate and dignified. And on the surface, it is.

He has ticked the boxes of legacy: stabilising a party once riven by internal turmoil, steering it into the government of national unity (GNU) and claiming “mission accomplished”. Yet politics is rarely so neat. Beneath the polite language and press conference smiles lies a more turbulent truth – this is not just Steenhuisen’s personal decision, but a moment that exposes the DA’s deepest divisions.

Steenhuisen insists his mission was to steady the DA and lead it into government. On this score, he can credibly claim success. The DA is no longer shouting from the opposition benches, it is now part of the governing machinery.

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For a party that spent decades defining itself against the ANC, this is a historic shift. But stepping aside now is not only about legacy, it is also about timing. Being both party leader and a Cabinet minister is a punishing balancing act.

Apart from his alleged financial troubles and clashes with ex-DA federal finance chair Dion George, Steenhuisen’s portfolio of agriculture also presents challenges. It comes with real crises, real farmers and real economic consequences. Every misstep lands not only on his desk, but on the DA’s brand inside government.

This may be true, but it also smells like an excuse for why Steenhuisen is allowing himself to be pushed out. The quieter truth is the DA is changing, as is its internal power map.

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