Cape Town Mayor Hill-Lewis Announces Candidacy for DA Leadership Following Steenhuisen's Exit

• Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced his candidacy for the Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership
• This comes after the current DA leader, John Steenhuisen, announced that he will not seek re-election ahead of the April congress
• Hill-Lewis emphasised hope and responsibility in his leadership bid for South Africa's future

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

WESTERN CAPE, CAPE TOWN - Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed that he will run for leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), formally entering the race to succeed current party leader John Steenhuisen.

Hill-Lewis to become DA leader?

Hill-Lewis made the announcement on Friday, 27 February 2026, in Elsies River, as the DA officially opened nominations for its top leadership positions ahead of its federal congress in April. Hill-Lewis, who has served as Cape Town's mayor since 2021, is seeking to take over the leadership of the party at a time of transition. Steenhuisen, who has led the DA since 2020, previously indicated that he would not stand for re-election. He currently serves as agriculture minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), which was formed after the previous national elections failed to produce an outright majority. Within the GNU, the DA is the second-largest party after the ANC.

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Explaining why he decided to stand, Hill-Lewis said that over the past few weeks many colleagues, friends and supporters had reached out to him to express their confidence in his leadership. He stated that he did not take their words lightly and felt a strong sense of duty and responsibility that he could not ignore. He described feeling the same passionate energy and optimism that had guided his work in Cape Town in recent years, and said he felt that same sense of hope for South Africa and its future.

Hill-Lewis indicated that he believed South Africa could work and said he wanted to help make that a reality. He announced that it was with pride and excitement that he was standing to become the next leader of the DA. Before becoming mayor, Hill-Lewis served as a Member of Parliament and previously worked as chief of staff to former DA leader Mmusi Maimane. His candidacy now sets the stage for a leadership contest that will be decided at the party's federal congress in April.

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Other DA-related stories

Geordin Hill-Lewis is seriously considering running to be the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA). The party will elect a new leader in April 2026, with John Steenhuisen confirming he will not stand for a third term. Steenhuisen made the announcement on 4 February during a press briefing, stating that he had achieved everything he set out to.

Former Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has weighed in on whether Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has the credentials to lead the party. This comes after Democratic Alliance President John Steenhuisen confirmed that he will not campaign for a third term as the party prepares for its upcoming elections.

Broadcaster and academic Professor JJ Tabane sparked reactions after weighing in on Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen’s decision not to seek a third term as party president. The former host of eNCA's Power to Truth also suggested who should take over from John Steenhuisen as the DA’s next leader and why.

Source: Briefly News