DA Leadership Race Heats Up: Steenhuisen Faces Challenges as Young Contenders Emerge

With just three months to go until the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) national federal congress in April, the party’s top job is shaping up to be a battle of experience versus youth. John Steenhuisen, the current leader, has confirmed he will seek a third term, but rising stars within the party are starting to make their moves.

Front-Runner and Emerging Contenders

Steenhuisen remains the front-runner, backed by his track record at the helm of the party. Yet the race is not uncontested. Names circulating among delegates include:

• Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town mayor, aged 39.

• Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies from Limpopo, 40.

• Alan Winde, Western Cape Premier, 60.

• Helen Zille, Chairperson of the Federal Council, 74, though she has indicated she is focusing on Johannesburg politics.

Other potential candidates, like Chris Pappas, mayor of uMngeni in KwaZulu-Natal, have ruled themselves out. “No, it is not the position I wish to contest,” Pappas said on Thursday, putting to rest rumours of his entry into the federal leadership race.

The younger contenders, Hill-Lewis and Malatsi are being watched closely, with party insiders noting that their age and energy could appeal to delegates looking for fresh leadership. In contrast, Winde and Zille, despite their experience, may face challenges in gaining support based on generational dynamics alone.

Age, Race, and Gender: The Underlying Dynamics

Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast highlighted the structural gaps the race exposes. “The DA has historically projected women’s lack of empowerment as an African phenomenon, yet within the party, women are underrepresented in senior leadership. This race, with Zille the only female candidate considered, continues that pattern,” he said.

Breakfast also weighed in on Malatsi’s prospects. “I don’t think the party would currently back a black leader for the top position, given the fallout from the 2019 elections, when white conservative voters moved to Freedom Plus,” he noted, pointing to the lingering racial calculations within the DA.

Political Experience vs New Energy

• Hill-Lewis, despite being in his late 30s, has gained attention for his leadership in Cape Town and is seen as a modernizing force.

• Malatsi brings ministerial experience and a national profile, but faces challenges due to historical voting patterns and internal party dynamics.

• Winde, in his second term as Western Cape Premier, remains a steady hand but may be considered too senior by delegates seeking a generational shift.

• Zille is unlikely to contest, focusing instead on grooming candidates and influencing city politics, leaving the race skewed heavily male.

Stakes for the DA

The upcoming congress will test the DA’s ability to balance continuity with renewal. Steenhuisen represents stability and an established leadership style, while Hill-Lewis and Malatsi symbolize youthful energy and a push for modernization. Delegates will have to weigh party loyalty, electoral strategy, and internal representation against the backdrop of South Africa’s complex racial and political landscape.

Social media has already been abuzz, with commentators debating whether the DA will continue its trend of male leadership or seize the moment to embrace a younger, potentially more diverse direction. Some X users joked about the “Steenhuisen dynasty,” while others expressed hope for fresh faces to energize the party’s base ahead of the next elections.

The DA’s April federal congress promises to be more than a routine leadership voteit is shaping up as a bellwether for the party’s future, its approach to diversity, and how it positions itself in a politically shifting South Africa.

{Source: IOL}

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