Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has announced that he will not seek re‑election at the party’s federal congress in April, a decision that introduces fresh uncertainty into South Africa’s government of national unity (GNU).
Steenhuisen, who has led the DA since 2019 and currently serves as Minister of Agriculture, said he would devote the remainder of his term to tackling the country’s most severe foot‑and‑mouth disease outbreak.
“For the rest of this term of office, I will focus all of my time and energy as minister of agriculture on defeating the most devastating foot-and-mouth disease outbreak our country has ever seen,” he told journalists on Wednesday.
The DA entered the GNU after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in the 2024 general election, forming an unprecedented coalition between the long‑ruling African National Congress and its historic rival.
The DA’s participation is central to the GNU’s stability and Steenhuisen’s departure raises questions about the party’s future direction and its commitment to the governing arrangement.
Steenhuisen, 49, began his political career at age 22 as a councillor in Durban for the Democratic Party, the DA’s predecessor.
He rose through the ranks to become provincial leader in KwaZulu‑Natal, then parliamentary leader and ultimately national party leader.
Under his tenure, the DA consolidated its position as South Africa’s second‑largest party and negotiated its way into national government for the first time.
His leadership, however, has not been without controversy, with internal divisions and public criticism reportedly contributing to pressure on him to step aside.
APA