As his tenure as Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Leader draws to a close, John Steenhuisen has moved to burnish a legacy that has been dogged by internal factional battles, financial controversies, and allegations of misconduct.
Steenhuisen announced that he will not seek a third term as party leader, citing the growing demands of his role as Minister of Agriculture in the Government of National Unity (GNU). His decision follows months of heightened infighting within the DA, with critics calling for accountability over the alleged misappropriation of party funds and a damaging Cape Town court judgment against him for failing to repay a commercial bank for a credit card issued in his name.
In his valedictory address, Steenhuisen portrayed his leadership as transformational.
“I took over a DA that was writing its own obituary, and I am now handing over the best DA possible — a party that is no longer just an opposition party, but a party of national government,” he said.
He also took a pointed swipe at his predecessor, Mmusi Maimane, claiming the “previous leader walked off the job” — a reference many view as ironic, given that Maimane was forced out by a faction that included Steenhuisen himself.
Steenhuisen credited his leadership for what he described as the DA’s improved electoral performance, including recent by-election victories in traditionally ANC-held wards in the Western Cape.
“I believe the key reason why the DA is now polling at historically high levels and winning by-elections across the country is because our work in the GNU has proven that we care for all South Africans, no matter their background or circumstances,” he said.
He cited initiatives ranging from support for emerging farmers and fishers to improved education delivery in township schools, arguing that the party’s participation in national government had validated its claim to govern.
Steenhuisen further defended controversial strategic decisions made under his leadership, including the formation of the Moonshot Pact and the DA’s entry into the GNU — moves that were opposed by sections of the party at the time.
“The progress we experienced after 2019 did not happen automatically or by osmosis,” he said, taking direct credit for steering the party through internal resistance.
Once again invoking the long-standing “swart gevaar” narrative, Steenhuisen warned that he had played a decisive role in preventing what he described as an EFF–MKP takeover following the 2024 elections, claiming such an alliance would have plunged South Africa into chaos.
He pointed to violent scenes in a provincial legislature late last year, when MK Party members allegedly disrupted proceedings and assaulted the Speaker after losing a motion of no confidence by a single vote.
“Make no mistake about it,” he said, “what we saw that day is what awaits all of South Africa if we ever allow the MK–EFF doomsday coalition into power.”
Steenhuisen cautioned DA and GNU partners against internal power struggles ahead of upcoming leadership contests, warning that factional manoeuvring could destabilise both the GNU and the country.
“There is only one leadership of the party that will be remembered — it is this one,” he said, in a remark widely interpreted as self-congratulatory.
Attention has now turned to his successor. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is widely tipped to take over within the next three months as the party attempts to manage internal tensions. Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille’s name has also been floated as a possible contender.
Hill-Lewis and several senior DA figures took to social media to amplify Steenhuisen’s claims of success.
“John Steenhuisen deserves honour and recognition for what he’s achieved as DA leader over the past six years,” Hill-Lewis wrote on X. “He steadied the ship, returned the DA to growth in 2024, and led the party into national government for the first time — making him one of the most consequential leaders in our party’s history.”
Not all voices were as complimentary. Former DA Youth Leader Mbali Ntuli, whose political career stalled after clashing with the dominant faction that ultimately installed Steenhuisen, offered a scathing assessment.
“His leadership style, temperament, and emotional intelligence made him a poor choice to lead the country’s national opposition,” Ntuli wrote on X. “For that misjudgement, the DA itself must carry responsibility. In truth, the party would have been better served by asking him to resign entirely.”
As the DA prepares for a bruising period ahead of the next election, Steenhuisen’s departure leaves behind a party still deeply divided over whether his tenure represented renewal — or merely survival.