SOWETAN | Can a new DA leader broaden the party’s support?

John Steenhuisen’s departure as leader of the DA has been a long time coming. Discontent with Steenhuisen began to surface soon after the party joined the ANC-led government of national unity. A significant number of the DA leadership opposed entering a coalition with the ANC, arguing that the DA would lose its independence and could no longer fulfil its role as a strong opposition party — a role it had perfected over the years.

Some also complained that it would not reflect well for the DA leader to serve under an ANC president. Nevertheless, Steenhuisen managed to win over enough support for the party to agree to join the government. Tensions later escalated with a public spat between Steenhuisen and former environment minister Dion George.

George was aggrieved after Steenhuisen recommended to President Cyril Ramaphosa that he be replaced by Willie Aucamp. Further controversy arose when allegations surfaced that Steenhuisen had misused the party’s credit card to order takeaways. Although an internal investigation cleared him, many in the DA felt the scandal had tarnished the party’s image.

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On Wednesday, Steenhuisen announced that he would not stand for another term when the party elects new leaders in April. This paves the way for Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to succeed him at the DA’s federal congress in April. Hill-Lewis may face a challenge from Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga, but many regard him as the frontrunner.

Why does this matter? With the ANC in decline, the DA is poised to play a more significant role in the government after the elections. It is no longer guaranteed that the ANC president will automatically become the state president after the 2029 elections.

South Africans must therefore scrutinise other parties in parliament — especially the second-largest party in the country. The direction in which Steenhuisen’s successor steers the DA will be crucial. Former leader Mmusi Maimane was ousted after accusations that he was trying to turn the DA into an “ANC-lite.” Under Steenhuisen, there was an attempt to rebrand the party to appeal to conservative white voters who had defected to the Freedom Front Plus in previous elections.

According to the DA’s internal polling, the party believes it could reach 30% support. Whether it achieves this will depend on whether the new leader broadens the party’s appeal or chooses to focus on its traditional base.

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