Democratic Alliance Elects Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis as New Leader

South Africa's Democratic Alliance (DA) has elected Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis as its new leader, choosing the 37-year-old to steer the centre-right party into the 2029 national polls.

Hill-Lewis's election marks a generational shift for the DA, which entered a multi-party coalition government with the ANC following the 2024 elections. He replaces outgoing leader John Steenhuisen.

In his acceptance speech, Hill-Lewis emphasized pragmatic governance over opposition politics. "South Africans don't want parties that fight each other — they want parties that fix things," he said. "Cape Town is proof that the DA model works."

Under Hill-Lewis's leadership, Cape Town has been praised for infrastructure investment and service delivery, though critics point to persistent inequality in the city.

The leadership change comes as the DA navigates the complexities of governing in coalition at the national level while maintaining its identity as an opposition force in provinces where it doesn't hold power.