Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen is widely expected to announce that he will no longer contest the party’s leadership race when he addresses the media on Wednesday.
The DA confirmed that Steenhuisen — who also serves as Minister of Agriculture — will brief the media on what the party described as “matters of national importance and public interest”. The announcement is expected to take place in Durban, Steenhuisen’s home province.
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Multiple senior party insiders have indicated that escalating tensions within the DA’s leadership structures have pushed Steenhuisen towards stepping aside.
Internal Divisions Kicks Out Steenhuisen
According to at least five DA sources, behind-the-scenes negotiations are under way to ensure that Steenhuisen’s exit from the leadership contest is handled in a “dignified” manner.
“There’s a strong Afrikaans lobby that is unhappy with how Steenhuisen has handled the foot and mouth disease outbreak that has been mentioned as the final straw for his critics and opponents,” a party insider said.
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Steenhuisen’s strained relationship with former DA finance head Dion George has further deepened divisions within the party, while another source said relations between the current DA leader and federal council chairperson Helen Zille had reached breaking point. Zille is believed to be backing Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis as a potential successor.
“The funders can no longer defend him. He had too many issues, from Roman Cabanac, the issue around credit cards and Uber Eats, his clashes with George, and the foot and mouth disease got way too much,” another insider said.
Hill-Lewis Likely Successor as Congress Nears
If Steenhuisen formally withdraws, it could clear the path for Hill-Lewis to contest the leadership unopposed. Hill-Lewis has previously stated that he would not enter the race if Steenhuisen remained a candidate.
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The DA’s national elective congress is scheduled for April. He has led the party since 2019, following the resignation of Mmusi Maimane. He was elected to his first full term in 2020 and secured a second term in 2023.
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Although he was recently cleared of allegations by George that he misused party funds for personal expenses, he remains subject to disciplinary proceedings for allegedly bringing the party into disrepute following the public fallout.
Sources have indicated that while Steenhuisen may step away from the party leadership contest, he is unlikely to resign from his cabinet post in the immediate future.
Just days ago, he told the Parliamentary Gallery Association in Cape Town that it would be premature to declare his intentions before the DA officially opened its nomination process at the end of February. His expected announcement on Wednesday suggests a significant shift as internal turmoil continues to grip the party.
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