Zille responds to rumours that she may return as DA leader

Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Federal Council, Helen Zille, has rejected some calls from within her own party to contest the federal leadership position against John Steenhuisen.

It was reported that three senior sources had told Rapport that there was internal lobbying for Zille to throw her hat in the ring for the DA’s elective conference in the first half of 2026.

Zille, who was leader of the party between 2007 and 2015, confirmed that she had be approached by several people within the DA to challenge Steenhuisen, but denied having any ambition for it.

“I have been approached by several people to stand, but I have no plans on doing so,” Zille told City Press.

“My sole focus is on winning Joburg, and if we do, it will be more than a full-time job. So I could not, and do not wish to, undertake anything else.”

To date, no other person within the DA has signalled their intention to challenge Steenhuisen for the party’s top job in 2026.

Steenhuisen has served as party leader since Mmusi Maimane’s resignation in 2019. Maimane succeeded Zille.

Earlier this year, potential challenger Geordin Hill-Lewis, the mayor of Cape Town, said that he had “absolutely no intention of standing against [Steenhuisen] as long as he wants to stand.”

Steenhuisen under fire

The whispers of a Zille leadership return come amid public mud-slinging between Steenhuisen and former Minister Dr. Dion George.

Last month, George was replaced as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment with Steenhuisen ally Willie Aucamp, citing ‘under-performance.’

However, George alleged that the real reasons are more sinister.

Among them, George, the head of the party’s finances, said that he had stopped the party’s credit card, used by Steenhuisen, because he was using the card to pay for Uber Eats food delivery and household expenses. 

He also submitted a formal complaint to the party’s legal commission through Zille. 

In response, Steenhuisen said that George is just “bitter” over the recent changes made to the National Executive caucus.

“As I have said many times before, if he has proof of wrongdoing, then he must provide that to the FLC of the party,” Steenhuisen told Rapport.

“He will, however, have to explain why he has never done so before his removal, which clearly exposes this as a revenge attempt,” he said. 

George, however, insists he submitted the complaint before he was removed, accusing Steenhuisen of violating the DA’s constitution and rules. 

George, meanwhile, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying through anonymous sources in the department, who spoke to News24. 

The former minister said he plans to sue the media house for defamation and said the article was clearly a “smear campaign” against him. 

This public back and forth caught the ire of Zille, and instructed the two to stop airing their dirty laundry through the media.

Zille said that the party resolved to refer the matter to the Federal Legal Commission for a full investigation. 

“The Fedex also issued an injunction to everyone involved, either directly or peripherally, to stop prosecuting their arguments through the media, and allow the party’s processes to take their course.”