By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
With the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s national federal congress set for April 2026, Geordin Hill-Lewis, mayor of Cape Town and Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga have both accepted their nominations for a national leadership positions.
This is as the DA, the second-largest party in the government of national unity (GNU), formally opened nominations for its internal leadership contest.
Certification of the voters roll on March 6 will be closely watched by insiders, as delegate composition can materially influence the outcome in a party where provincial structures wield big sway.
Nominations close on March 23. The narrow window leaves candidates about three weeks to secure branch endorsements and lock in provincial backing before the delegates gather in Johannesburg in April 11.
The DA is heading into a leadership transition after federal leader John Steenhuisen announced he will step down, triggering a contest before the party’s federal congress in April. With Steenhuisen and federal council chair Helen Zille not contesting, the party faces two vacancies in its top leadership structures.
They both held media briefings in Cape Town and Pretoria respectively, where they announced that they will accept the nominations.
Hill-Lewis said he’ll stand for election as leader of the Democratic Alliance.
“I will be seeking a specific mandate, a mandate to build a stronger DA,” Hill-Lewis said. “If we are to build a stronger South Africa, we must have a stronger DA.”
Hill-Lewis, 39, has served as mayor of second-biggest city since 2021 and won praise for his management of the tourism and financial-services hub. He’s said he intends to seek reelection to that post in upcoming municipal elections, a job he can do while concurrently leading the DA.
Msimanga said the time has come for him to ascend to national office.
“I am humbled by the trust that you [are] bestowing [on] me and humbled by the nomination. I am deeply aware of the responsibility that comes when accepting this nomination. I accept nomination as the candidate for the federal chairperson of the Democratic Alliance – not for the title, not for prestige but for purpose.”
Msimanga was the mayor of Tshwane between 2016 and 2019, after which he became the party’s provincial leader.
The DA, which garnered 22% support in the last national elections in 2024, is a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 10-party coalition government.