The imminent departure of John Steenhuisen from the race for the Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership is not merely a voluntary stepping down, but the result of a cascade of political blunders that eroded the confidence of both party heavyweights and crucial financial backers.
Insiders with intimate knowledge of the party's internal mechanics have revealed that Steenhuisen’s decision to withdraw was precipitated by a loss of faith from the very foundations of the official opposition. It is understood that the decision to not stand for re-election came about after several intense talks with his inner circle. This group of trusted lieutenants includes Public Works Minister Dean McPherson, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, and Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
While Steenhuisen had previously enjoyed a resounding endorsement from the DA’s wealthy funders, insiders indicate that these backers have retreated from this decision over the past few months. The shift in donor sentiment appears to be strategic rather than purely personal. One insider said the funders were now seeking a new face to lead the country should it manage to gain enough votes in 2029 when parties negotiate for a new president. The prevailing view among the moneyed elite supporting the party is that a fresh visage is required to navigate the complex coalition landscape that will likely define the next general election.
A significant factor contributing to Steenhuisen's decline has been his turbulent tenure within the Government of National Unity (GNU). His relationship with President Cyril Ramaphosa has been fraught with tension. Steenhuisen had been at odds with the President following the VAT crisis, a policy dispute so severe it led to parliament postponing the budget speech last year.
In an interview with author and journalist Mandy Wiener earlier this year, Ramaphosa raised his frustration over Steenhuisen, claiming the DA was acting as an opposition in the government of national unity (GNU). Ramaphosa compared Steenhuisen to Roelf Meyer, who, during the Codesa negotiations, formed a bond with the president—a comparison that, in the current political climate, suggests a complicated dynamic of frustration and forced co-operation.
However, the internal damage to Steenhuisen's standing was perhaps most severely inflicted by the saga surrounding Dion George. Another crisis that has faced Steenhuisen follows his decision to axe Dion George, the environment, forestry and fisheries minister who would later resign from the DA following public spats.
The fallout was brutal. George’s pronouncement against Steenhuisen, claiming the leader was financially compromised, has dented the DA’s image within the party. He has also suggested Steenhuisen’s financial vulnerability was keeping the party in the GNU. George resigned from the DA in January and questioned Steenhuisen’s independence within the GNU.
The dispute escalated when the party’s financial records and details of Steenhuisen’s spending on the DA’s and personal credit cards were leaked to the media. Although the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) cleared Steenhuisen of misappropriating party funds through the use of his party-issued credit card, the reputational stain remained.
George maintained this was indicative of a possible cover-up. “You’ve got to be able to credibly leave that GNU when the time comes. When you are financially compromised, when you’re living in government accommodation, when you’ve got this vulnerability, it puts the party at risk because what it means is: do you hold onto the GNU even if we should walk out of it, because now the ANC knows you can never leave,” he said.
Beyond the corridors of parliament, Steenhuisen faced a revolt from one of the DA’s most loyal voting blocs: the farmers. Another insider said Steenhuisen’s battle with the farming community proved to be a poisoned chalice for the DA.
Steenhuisen has been at loggerheads with the farming community, a key constituency of the DA, following the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Farmers are pursuing legal action against Steenhuisen’s department, frustrated over his failure to engage the sector over the government’s response to the outbreak.
The frustration has boiled over into litigation. On Friday, Sakeliga, the Southern African Agri Initiative, and Free State Agriculture instructed their attorneys to approach the courts to review and set aside what they called “Steenhuisen’s apparently unlawful prohibition, and to apply for further or alternative relief as applicable”. The farming community seeks to procure and administer foot and mouth disease vaccines independently, having lost faith in the state's capacity to manage the biosecurity threat under Steenhuisen's watch.
“It’s not doing us any good, but if there is a solution to the farming crisis, things can be turned around. The negative sentiment against John on social media can’t be good. But polling data as yet has not suggested that we are hurting,” said the insider. “However, if there had been a poll, which has now come out and suggests that we’re hurting because of the leader, powerful people within the party would have taken action, and this might be why we find ourselves where we are."
The source added: “I have been assured by colleagues that stuff is happening… until this foot and mouth disease situation is under control, nobody benefits.”
Perhaps most damagingly for a leader of the opposition, accusations have swirled that Steenhuisen has become too comfortable with his ANC counterparts. The insiders said Steenhuisen had ingratiated himself with the ANC to the detriment of his party. One insider said Steenhuisen’s conduct had been discussed during a DA federal executive meeting late last year.
“There has been this feeling among us that Steenhuisen is too close to the ANC. He is chummy with the deputy president and you can hear how his tone has changed from his views on Paul Mashatile since he became minister,” the source revealed.
This perceived closeness has allegedly impacted policy positions. “Another problem … is how we have taken a step back from the China/Taiwan position. So it’s not just internal problems, but John is becoming a problem. He is bowing out on his terms, which is good for his reputation.”
As Steenhuisen prepares to exit the leadership stage, it is clear that a combination of donor pressure, the alienation of the agricultural base, internal financial scandals, and a blurred line between opposition and coalition partner have made his position untenable.
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