Cape Town – As widely expected, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has thrown his hat into the ring for the leadership of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
His pathway to lead the DA became more pronounced last month when incumbent John Steenhuisen, who is also the Agriculture Minister, announced that he was not seeking a third-term.
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Steenhuisen cited the need to focus fully on his government portfolio, particularly managing a severe foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
Speaking at a rally in Elsies River, Cape Town, on Friday, 27 February 2026, Hill-Lewis told hundreds of supporters and senior party figures—including ministers Siviwe Gwarube, Leon Schreiber, and Dean Macpherson—that the upcoming April elective congress offered a chance to “renew” the party and build “a stronger DA for a stronger South Africa.”
“I am standing to be the next leader of the Democratic Alliance,” Hill-Lewis declared, emphasising his mandate to consolidate the party’s role in the Government of National Unity, while rejecting permanent opposition status.
Hill-Lewis, mayor since 2021 and widely seen as the preferred candidate of influential DA figures, including Helen Zille, is expected to face limited opposition in the April contest.
He pledged to work toward prosperity amid economic and governance challenges.
Party stalwart Zille is the DA mayoral candidate.
I love South Africa and I believe in its future. I believe we can build a country where government works, jobs are created and people feel safe.
If elected as the leader of the DA, I will make it my mission to build a country of hope.
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— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) February 27, 2026
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