Steenhuisen had been acting in the position following a tumultuous period, which saw the DA lose its leader when Mmusi Maimane resigned in October 2019.
DA leader John Steenhuisen addressing party delegates on 1 November 2020 on day two of the DA’s virtual federal congress. Picture: @Our_DA/Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal congress has elected John Steenhuisen as the party’s new leader.
Steenhuisen had been acting in the position following a tumultuous period, which saw the DA lose its leader when Mmusi Maimane resigned in October 2019.
Steenhuisen was competing for the top job against former youth leader Mbali Ntuli.
It was a clean sweep for Steenhuisen as he secured an 80% win to lead the country’s official opposition party. Presiding officers announced that 88.6% of the delegates cast their votes in the internal poll.
The results also saw Helen Zille being elected as the federal council chairperson.
Meanwhile, Steenhuisen also delivered his acceptance speech, saying he never imagined being elected leader of the party.
“I’ve fought to fix potholes when I was a councillor. I fought to expose corruption when I was a member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. I’ve held presidents accountable as a Member of Parliament, But never in my wildest imagination did I think that one day I would be a leader of this great party of ours,” Steenhuisen said.
List of DA’s new leadership:
• Federal leader: John Steenhuisen
• Chairperson of the federal council: Helen Zille
• Deputy chairperson of the federal council: James Masango
• Deputy chairperson of the federal council: Thomas Walters
• Federal chairperson: Dr Ivan Meyer
• First deputy federal chairperson: Refiloe Nt’sekhe
• Second deputy federal chairperson: Anton Bredell
• Third deputy federal chairperson: Jacques Smalle
• Federal finance chairperson: Dion George
WATCH: DA federal congress proceedings
