South Africa: Geordin Hill-Lewis Lays Out 4-Point Plan As He Becomes DA Federal Leader At 39

12 April 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Victoria O'regan

'We must connect with the millions of people who have not yet voted for us,' the new federal leader said.

The DA 2026 Federal Congress has delivered the expected outcome and elected Geordin Hill-Lewis as the party's new federal leader for the next three years.

The 39-year-old Cape Town mayor was widely tipped to win the party's top job after outgoing DA leader John Steenhuisen announced he would not seek re-election in February this year.

Hill-Lewis won over 90% of the vote to beat rival Sibusiso Dyonase, the DA's caucus leader in the Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng.

In his victory speech on Sunday, 12 April 2026, Hill-Lewis said he accepted the responsibility of federal leader with "humility, gratitude and with a deep sense of duty".

"I stand before you as your newly elected leader with one promise: however long I have the privilege of serving in this job, I will be dedicated to the mission of building a strong South Africa for everyone. Because South Africa is truly worth it."

Hill-Lewis has consistently maintained his intention to remain Cape Town mayor and to run for a second term in the forthcoming municipal polls.

He has said he will not join Cabinet, but will appoint a proxy leader to represent him in the Government of National Unity (GNU), <a...

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