By Lehlohonolo Lehana, Live from Midrand.
John Steenhuisen has been re-elected the federal leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) for the next three years.
Steenhuisen was elected by delegates of the DA at its largest federal congress in history, held on 1 and 2 April at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand.
He was running against the former Johannesburg mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse.
DA presiding officers Greg Krumbock and Bridget Masango announced the party’s new leadership during its elective conference on Sunday.
Delegates elected the leader, federal chairperson and three deputy federal chairpersons, while federal council members voted for the council’s chairperson and three deputy chairpersons and the federal finance chairperson.
Krumbock said it had been the largest and most inclusive election in the party’s history.
Helen Zille was announced the chairperson of the federal council after she ran uncontested.
Dr Ivan Meyer was announced as the elected federal chairperson for another term.
The positions of deputy chairpersons of federal council are Anton Bredell, Solly Malatsi and Jean-Pierre Smith.
The federal finance chairperson is Dion George who also ran uncontested.
During his victory speech, Steenhuisen acknowledged his family.
“To my family, my wife Terry, my beautiful daughters, Ashley, Carran and Olivia. Thank you for supporting me and uplifting me along every step of this journey. It is for your unending love that I found the courage to persevere even when the times get tough, thank you.”
He thanked the more than two thousand delegates attending the DA Federal Congress in Midrand, Johannesburg, including the greater membership of the party, for trusting him to lead the party again.
Steenhuisen declared the Economic Freedom Fighters as “enemy number one.”
He said the DA will do anything in its power to prevent an ANC and EFF alliance, which he described as a death knell for South Africa. “If the EFF wins the 2024 election, what happened in Zimbabwe will look like a dress rehearsal,” he said.
“If we were to achieve our moon shot and become the leaders of South Africa, we will have to do things that have never been done.”
Steenhuisen, has served as leader of the opposition party since 2020. His political career began around the age of 22, which made him one of the youngest council members at that time.