John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA), has announced that he will not seek re-election as the party’s leader in April.
This decision comes as a surprise, given that he was widely expected to run again, and may threaten the stability of the coalition government.
Steenhuisen, who has served as DA leader since 2019, cited his focus on defeating the country’s worst-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak as the reason for his decision.
He has been criticised for his handling of the outbreak, with farmers accusing his department of being an “obstacle in a crisis”.
The DA, South Africa’s second-largest party, entered into a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC) in 2024 after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority.
Steenhuisen’s departure may lead to a power struggle within the party, with Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis touted as a possible successor.
Steenhuisen’s leadership has been marked by controversy, including a fallout with ex-Environment Affairs Minister Dion George and allegations of misusing party funds, of which he was cleared in January.
