John Steenhuisen’s decision to withdraw from the race to retain his position as Democratic Alliance (DA) leader ahead of the party’s elective conference in April has exposed alleged internal tensions at the top of the party.
While Steenhuisen has publicly framed his withdrawal as a move to focus on his role as Minister of Agriculture, well-placed sources within the DA say the decision was also shaped by mounting fatigue and a deteriorating working relationship with Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille.
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A senior source close to Steenhuisen said the competing demands of party leadership and government responsibilities had become overwhelming, particularly amid the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak, which required sustained ministerial attention.
The source added that Steenhuisen’s exit came as a shock to several provincial leaders who believed he was on track for a decisive victory at the conference.
Claims of Leadership Undermining and Provincial Divisions
“Many of the provinces had asked him not to pull out, but I think he had just had it because the relationship between him and Zille was also no longer so good,” the source said.
“You cannot be a leader of the party and have somebody that is the secretary-general (Federal Council chairperson) of the party trying to work against you,” the source added, claiming the relationship between the two leaders had weakened significantly.
According to the source, Steenhuisen enjoyed firm backing from seven provinces, while support in the Western Cape and Gauteng was split.
“Even the leaders of those seven provinces were not happy about his withdrawal because they were taken by surprise as they believed that he was going to win by a landslide majority,” the source said.
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The same source claimed Steenhuisen was concerned that if Zille were re-elected as Federal Council chairperson, she would continue to exert influence over party leadership decisions.
Helen Zille Rejects Allegations as ‘Pure Fiction’
Zille dismissed the claims outright, describing them as baseless. “I do not micromanage anyone, and I was not standing to be the Federal Council chair again,” she said. “So that proves your source is pure fiction.”
Steenhuisen’s spokesperson, Charity McCord, also declined to engage with the claims, describing them as “really just gossip”.
GNU Fallout and Ideological Fault Lines Inside the DA
The source further alleged that tensions escalated following the DA’s decision to join the Government of National Unity (GNU), a move Zille “did not really support”.
“Zille and her cabal started to blame him for being swallowed by the ANC,” the source claimed. “I think on the sideline, Zille was not happy with joining the GNU, but she has been pretending to be happy.”
The source also accused a faction within the party of prioritising the DA’s traditional voter base over broader growth.
“They don’t care about growing the party out of 20%, whereas John is pro-transformation,” the source said. “He wants to transform, he wants to grow the DA, and he wants those hundred of thousands of voters to come to the DA.”
According to the source, Steenhuisen had expanded the party’s appeal among black voters since taking over from Mmusi Maimane. “Remember when he took over from Mmusi Maimane, black supporters were at around 16%, right now, according to DA polls, they are at 30% since we joined the GNU.”
John Steenhuisen Durban Announcement and Leadership Race Implications
The source said Steenhuisen deliberately chose Durban, his hometown, to announce his withdrawal.
“This was to say this is where I started my political career, and this is where I want to make an announcement to pull out,” the source said.
With Steenhuisen out of the contest, the source said Solly Msimanga and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis were the remaining contenders for the party’s top post.
Alternative View: Ministerial Focus the Sole Reason
However, a different DA leader, an MP who also requested anonymity, rejected claims of internal conflict, insisting Steenhuisen’s withdrawal was purely about his ministerial duties.
“All he wants is to make sure that the Foot-and-Mouth Disease is controlled and does not want to be seen as conflated,” the KwaZulu-Natal-based MP said.
“The DA always criticises ministers for putting the party interest above their ministry and the country.”
She added that leading the party while serving as a cabinet minister would have required relentless campaigning ahead of upcoming elections.
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“As a leader, he had to be at every province and at every council meeting. We are just announcing our mayoral candidates,” she said. “This time around, the leader has to be available 24/7 for the party’s job.”
According to the MP, Zille and senior party figures had long been aware of Steenhuisen’s intention to step aside.
When asked about the state of the relationship between Steenhuisen and Zille, she said: “The relationship was okay. People always want to make stories about Zille and John, but people have differences everywhere, but you cannot make it a personal thing,” she said.
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