John Steenhuisen will not seek re-election as DA leader

Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Leader John Steenhuisen has confirmed that he will not seek a third term as party leader in the upcoming April leadership congress.

Speaking to the media in eThekwini on 4 February 2026, surrounded by family and staff, Steenhuisen said that he delivered on his 2019 promise to be a party of national government.

He said that the party is now in the strongest position it has ever been in, holding levers of executive and legislative power in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Steenhuisen said that he also shifted the party to being one better suited for collaborative governance and accommodating a wider constituency.

“It is mission accomplished for me. I delivered on all my promises I made in 2019,” said Steenhuisen. “My term will be remembered as bringing the DA into national government.”

He said the next mission of the DA is to become the largest party in the country, but that mission is not his to lead.

As Agriculture Minister in the GNU, Steenhuisen said that it would be unfair to farmers for him to focus on party politics while the country grapples with the worst Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak.

“My sole focus will be defeating this disease once and for all,” said Steenhuisen.

“It has been the honour of my lifetime leading the DA to the top of the Union Building steps,” said Steenhuisen, adding that he will support the incoming party leader.

Steenhuisen’s political career started at age 22 when he was elected to the Durban City Council in 1999, becoming one of the city’s youngest councillors.

He later served as the DA’s caucus leader in the eThekwini Municipality and in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature.

From 2014 to 2019, he was the chief whip of the official opposition before his election as federal leader in November 2020. He secured re-election for a second term in 2023.

Under his leadership, the DA has maintained its position as South Africa’s second-largest party, and formed part of the GNU formed after the 2024 elections.

As one of six DA ministers in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet, Steenhuisen has played a central role in national governance.

John Steenhuisen under the media microscope

Steenhuisen’s decision comes amid mounting internal pressures, leadership tensions, and recent controversies that have eroded support within party ranks.

He requested that DA Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Dion George be removed from his cabinet position, prompting George to publicly accuse Steenhuisen of misusing party funds.

In an interview with Rapport, George claimed he had stopped the party’s credit card, used by Steenhuisen, due to charges for Uber Eats food deliveries and household expenses. The matter was referred to the DA’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) for investigation.

An initial probe, led by Glynnis Breytenbach, found that a “limited number of personal expenses” were paid using the DA card, but these were adequately explained and reimbursed.

Despite the clearance on misappropriation, Steenhuisen remains subject to a party disciplinary inquiry.

This examines whether he violated sections of the DA’s federal constitution by bringing the party into disrepute, reflecting negatively on it, or undermining internal cooperation—allegedly through media leaks.

Steenhuisen has also drawn criticism from within DA ranks and the party’s core farming constituency over his handling of the FMD crisis.

Agriculture lobby groups have launched legal action against his state-controlled action plan, arguing it risks international recognition of FMD-free status.

An editorial in The Common Sense highlighted concerns that his insistence on centralised state control could alienate key supporters in the agricultural sector.

These issues, combined with broader discontent over perceived closeness to the ANC in the GNU and strategic direction ahead of the 2026 local elections, have fueled calls for renewal.

Steenhuisen’s anticipated exit opens the door for generational change, with Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis widely seen as a frontrunner, alongside figures like Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Communications Minister Solly Malatsi.

Hill-Lewis has consistently emphasised that he would never run for a top leadership position as long as Steenhuisen was in the race.

The April 2026 federal congress, held every three years under the DA constitution, will now feature an open contest for the leadership. Nominations open on February 24.