Steenhuisen’s withdrawal from DA leadership unlikely to affect GNU

With John Steenhuisen’s withdrawal from the DA leadership race reigniting speculation about the stability of the government of national unity (GNU), political analysts say developments within the party are unlikely to threaten the coalition. Steenhuisen announced last week that he would not contest the position of DA federal leader at the party’s upcoming federal congress, maintaining that the decision was voluntary. His exit has nonetheless fuelled internal and external speculation that divisions within the Democratic Alliance, particularly around its participation in the ANC-led GNU, could eventually prompt the party to reconsider its role in the coalition government.

Central to this speculation is Steenhuisen’s perceived closeness to President Cyril Ramaphosa, a relationship some within the DA are believed to view with suspicion. Critics in the party have argued that his role as GNU Minister of Agriculture, reporting to Ramaphosa, blurred the DA’s long-held identity as the ANC’s primary opposition. However, University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu dismissed those concerns, saying the DA is expected to remain firmly within the GNU even after leadership changes.

“While it is true that there are some DA members who are uncomfortable with the fact that the party is cooperating with the ANC instead of opposing it, that was not the real reason Steenhuisen lost support in the party. Steenhuisen’s loss of support in the party,” Ndlovu said, “was linked more to strategic considerations within the party’s top structures than to ideological opposition to the GNU.” The support of influential figures in the organisation, such as Helen Zille, shifted because the DA leadership realised it could be costly to go into the 2026 local government elections with a leader who is perceived by some supporters as being close to the ANC. According to Ndlovu, the DA’s recalibration is aimed at maintaining a delicate balance: participating in government while preserving its independence and distinct political brand.