Steenhuisen to lead DA in ‘crucial’ 2024 elections

John Steenhuisen will continue in his position as DA leader as ‘South Africa’s official opposition’ eyes strong results in the 2024 general elections.

The blue party took to Midrand this weekend for their national elective conference where policies were discussed, and delegates voted for, among others, the position of federal leader.

Steenhuisen battled it out against former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse for this position, and it was the incumbent who retained the position.

The duly elected federal leader of the DA is John Steenhuisen 🎉

The Leader will lead us into 2024 as we work to build a new national government.

Only a strong DA can build a better future in South Africa! 🇿🇦#DAcongress2023 pic.twitter.com/FcWyK5rc9b

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) April 2, 2023

Supporters shouting ‘we want John, we want John!’ filled the Gallagher Convention Centre as Steenhuisen took to the stage to deliver his report earlier today.

“The ANC’s decline is now terminal…we will see the end of the African National Congress at the end of 2024. A ruling party that doesn’t fear the outcome of an election is a dangerous beast,” he said about the ruling party.

Steenhuisen emphasised that despite an increase of political parties on the ballots, the battle to govern the country ‘is a two-horse race’.

He spoke about the fall from grace the DA noted in the 2019 elections and said this was a result of the party not being ‘true to their identity’.

Steenhuisen put up his hand in October 2019 to lead as interim federal leader and said he took charge of a ‘party in electoral decline’, but that he was committed in seeking ‘out our values’.

These values, he said, were: Non-rationalism, respect for the rule of law and the constitution, the power of a market economy to create jobs and lift people out of poverty, and building a state that is free of corruption and cadre deployment.

"But I knew, and so did everyone whom I trusted and listened to, that the only way to resuscitate the DA and save SA – the only way to get that arrow on the graph pointing upwards again – was by ignoring the naysayers and seeking out our values." – @jsteenhuisen #DAcongress2023

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) April 2, 2023

“We want to end at the centre of a coalition party. Don’t listen to the naysayers who say this cannot be done and that coalitions do not work,” he stressed his faith in the party.

Steenhuisen concluded by saying that South Africa ‘needs a strong DA to build a better future’. “Our congress has shown them that we are ready. It is time to get out there, win those votes to build a better future.”

After hours, the votes of the over 2 000 congregants were counted and just after 14:30, the selected candidates were announced.

‘Federal leader has chance to become SA’s next president’

DA federal congress presiding officer Greg Kumbock earlier said that whoever is elected as the party’s federal leader will have a strong chance to become the country’s president after next year’s general elections.

“The congress is important for South Africa because the leaders elected may very well be the leaders who will reshape national government as the ANC’s support again drops below 50% in 2024,” the article on their website states.

Other positions that were voted for

The federal leadership position was not the only one that delegates had to vote for as a total of six positions were up for election.

Results:

• Federal leader: John Steenhuisen
• Federal chairperson: Dr Ivan Meyer
• Deputy federal chairpersons: JP Smith (first), Solly Malatsi (second) and Anton Bredell (third)
• Federal finance chairperson: Dr Dion George
• Federal council chairperson: Helen Zille
• Deputy federal council chairpersons: Ashor Sarupen (first), Dr Annelie Lotriet (second) and Thomas Walters (third).