DA Congress Leadership Race Intensifies Ahead Of 2029 National Elections

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is gearing up for a pivotal leadership contest this weekend, as delegates gather to elect a successor to outgoing leader John Steenhuisen. The party has expressed confidence that its next leader could go on to become South Africa’s president in the 2029 general elections.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, DA Federal Congress spokesperson Luyolo Mphithi outlined the significance of the event, set to take place at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.

More than 2,000 delegates began arriving on Thursday for the congress, which officially runs from Saturday to Sunday, culminating in the announcement of new party leadership.

Steenhuisen, who also serves as Minister of Agriculture, previously confirmed he would step down to focus on his role within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

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The race to lead the DA features two main contenders: City of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Sibusiso Dyonase, the party’s caucus leader in the Sedibeng District Municipality.

“This is the DA’s largest congress to date, and when we met a few years ago for this same congress, no one believed that the DA would be in the national government, but there we are in the national government.

“Many of my colleagues will agree that we could be electing the next president of South Africa in this congress. We do believe that it is possible,” said Mphithi.

He added that the party aims to secure outright majorities in municipalities nationwide in upcoming local government elections.

“As a party, we are ready to lead in municipalities across our country, and we are ready to lead the country in 2029,” he said.

Mphithi also stressed the importance of maintaining transparency and fairness during proceedings, saying the congress would “showcase the beauty of our party to South Africans”.

Political Analysts Weigh In On DA’s Growth Prospects And Challenges

Political analyst Siyabonga Ntombela from the University of KwaZulu-Natal said the DA still has the potential to expand its support base, particularly by promoting its role within the GNU.

“Also, the ANC president once said the best-run municipalities are under the DA leadership. These points will resonate with the middle class in particular,” he said.

However, Ntombela questioned Hill-Lewis’s standing, citing ongoing inequality and poverty in Cape Town’s townships.

“As for Dyonase, he is an unknown individual except to the DA constituency. In South African politics, populism and charisma are the two important determining factors,” he said.

Another analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, argued that the DA faces structural limitations in broadening its appeal.

“It has done well with minority groups such as Indians and Coloureds, but it needs the support of the black middle class to become the largest political party. I don’t see Hill-Lewis taking the DA to another level since it remains a lily-white party,” said Ndlovu.

Federal Council Leadership Race And Congress Voting Process Explained

Alongside the leadership race, the DA has also moved to appoint a new Federal Council chairperson, replacing Helen Zille, who is focusing on her campaign to become Johannesburg mayor.

Candidates for the position include finance spokesperson Dr Mark Burke, shadow deputy minister of public enterprises Erik Marais, and federal finance chairperson Fanyana Nkosi. The outcome will be announced on Sunday together with the party leadership results.

Presiding officer Bridget Masango said her team is tasked with ensuring the integrity of the congress.

“And ensure that all processes are conducted fairly and are conducted transparently and in line with the DA’s constitution. We act as neutral custodians of the process, and that includes overseeing the voting process and ensuring compliance with the rules and maintaining order.

“The delegates and South Africa can be confident in the fairness and credibility of the DA federal congress this weekend,” said Masango.

Fellow presiding officer Werner Horn explained that the congress would follow strict electoral procedures comparable to those used by the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

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“When a candidate submits acceptance of nomination, they must also agree to abide by the standard of conduct. If one candidate complains about the messaging of another candidate’s tactics, the presiding officer must determine facts before taking a remedial action.

“When a candidate is unhappy with a specific ruling, they can declare a dispute, and then our legal team is empowered to determine that dispute,” said Horn.

In a separate interview, Horn highlighted the contrasting experience of the two leadership contenders.

“I have got Geordin, who has a record of leading success in local government, while Sibusiso comes from the Vaal region, which is dysfunctional, and in that sense, he has a perspective, having looked at those government failures,” he said.

Delegates will begin registering early on Saturday, followed by reports on the outgoing leadership’s performance, policy discussions, and constitutional amendments. Voting is scheduled for Sunday morning, with results expected around midday or early afternoon.