Steenhuisen blows DA succession race wide open

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen’s sudden decision not to stand for the party’s leadership at its next conference has thrown the succession race in the official opposition wide open, with Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis throwing his hat in the ring.

This week, Steenhuisen told the Mail & Guardian in an exclusive interview that while he is leaving behind a party in a healthier condition than he found it in 2019, he has no preferred successor, blowing open the battle to succeed him.

Siviwe Gwarube and Hill-Lewis, both viewed as Steenhuisen allies, are among the frontrunners being tipped to take over the party’s leadership.

Two weeks ago, Gwarube told M&G that she had no interest in being DA leader but would be seeking a role in the party’s top organisational structure, without specifying which role.

“There’s no truth to claims that I am seeking to be federal leader. What I did indicate is that I am in the running for one of the leadership positions in the organisation but I was emphatic that I am not running for DA leader. I will announce it as soon as the nomination process opens,” Gwarube said.

Meanwhile, in a leaked message to his caucus in Cape Town — which the M&G has seen — Hill-Lewis said whatever he decided to do, if he did stand as leader, he intended to remain mayor and “seek re-election shoulder to shoulder with all of you”.

Internal DA sources told M&G that Steenhuisen was pushed out of the party by those they described as rightwingers over how he handled the foot-and-mouth outbreak, while others said they were concerned about how he had bent over backwards for ANC policies, including the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act and the Expropriation Act.

Some insiders told M&G that Steenhuisen had been pushed out by a faction aligned to federal chair Helen Zille — a faction whose existence Zille has denied.

Some in the party believe Steenhuisen’s withdrawal from the leadership race marks the beginning of a major divide between two factions within the DA. 

Further fuelling speculation about divisions, Steenhuisen was flanked by those viewed to be his allies, including Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson and Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, during his media briefing in his hometown of Durban, when he announced that he would not be standing for the leadership position.

Those viewed to be in Zille’s camp were nowhere to be seen at the briefing nor was his speech shared on the DA’s official communication channels, including the WhatsApp group.

When Steenhuisen took over the party in 2019 as interim leader from Mmusi Maimane, the party was polling at 16% nationally. 

During his two terms, he steered it to 21.81%, and for the first time since 1994, the DA managed to form part of government through the Government of National Unity (GNU).

According to some insiders, this compromised certain party policies, while others believe participation in the GNU prevents the ANC from governing unchecked.

Speaking exclusively to the M&G prior to his briefing, Steenhuisen was adamant that he was not forced to withdraw from contesting a third term as party leader.

“I don’t get forced to do anything,” Steenhuisen said. “I have been in politics since I was 22 years old. I don’t get forced into doing anything.

“I have been in politics at the highest level for a number of years. Nobody forces my hand. I make decisions that I think are in the best interests of the party and the people in the party.”

Steenhuisen was recently investigated by the party’s federal legal commission (FLC) over claims that he abused organisational funds for personal use via a party credit card. The FLC cleared him of misappropriation but found prima facie evidence that he had brought the organisation into disrepute during his public fallout with former treasurer Dion George, who recently quit the DA.

Steenhuisen said he was not aware of anyone plotting to have him removed from the party.

“If there is a group of people who want to do that, well, that’s fine. I intend to remain in politics and serve the party. If the party doesn’t want that, then the party must make a choice,” he said.

“I think I have given great value to the party, especially the party I inherited and the DA today is in better shape than when I took over in 2019, when we were sitting at 16% in the polls and the media had written us off. I now hand over a party that’s sitting at above 30% in the polls.”

Steenhuisen said his efforts to strengthen the party ensured that the DA was central to discussions about the country’s future, leaving a strong record for his successor.

“If there are people who don’t want to acknowledge that, then that’s up to them. I’m going nowhere. I love my party, I love my country and I intend to serve them both for many, many years to come.”

Asked about his relationship with Zille, he described it as a “good professional working relationship” that has worked well over several years.

He added that he would like to remain in government because he still had work to do in the agriculture department but that it would be up to the party to decide.

“We don’t deploy ourselves. We are deployed and serve at the pleasure of the party and the new leader must decide what the shape and face of the executive looks like.”

He was also adamant that if he had stood for election at the upcoming congress, he would have won comfortably.

“I think it’s pretty instructive that in three months not a single candidate has put their hand up, so where is the other faction if they exist?” he asked. “I’m not interested in factional battles. I have served two terms and I would have been elected to another term if I had decided to stand.

“If there’s another faction, they must come forward but none of them have done so. No one has said, ‘We are standing for leader against John,’ so I get curious as to who these factions are.”

In his closing remarks during the briefing, Steenhuisen said he was honoured to lead the party to the top of the Union Buildings steps, thanking every public representative, staff member, and activist.

He said he will hand over the reins to a fundamentally healthier party than the one he inherited.

“Instead of 16%, the DA is now consistently polling at 30% and is within striking distance of becoming the biggest political party in South Africa. 

“The next duly elected DA leader can rely on my full support and will be given the space to lead the party as they see fit.

“For the true test of whether you love a thing is the ability to let it go when the time is right. I have loved leading the DA, which is why today I let it go with a smile on my face and triumphant peace in my heart,” he said.