ANALYIS | DA's 2026 Federal Congress 'represents key institutional change'

All eyes are on the Democratic Alliance as it looks to fill key leadership positions during its 2026 Federal Congress in Midrand this weekend.  

Naidu explained that the DA's leadership change comes at a critical time, with the party part of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the upcoming local government elections on the horizon. 

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She added that the congress is about more than just electing a federal leader or council chair, but also about other key positions, such as the federal finance leader, which has been vacant since Dion George resigned in January this year. 

"It's not just a normal kind of congress, but a congress that represents some very key institutional change for the party.

"Also, the question of how that institutional change will then also resonate with the party's upcoming local government elections, and of course, in lieu of the 2029 national and provincial elections, are we going to see change?"

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She added that the DA’s leadership change also raises questions about the party’s ideological direction.

"I think the DA is very much a creature of habit and is very much a part of those ideological bents that you've just mentioned.

"The biggest challenge for the DA, and I think for all parties, is to align with an ideological dispensation in the world right now, which is going through an existential crisis."

To listen to Naidu in conversation with 702 and CapeTalk’s Africa Melane, use the audio player below: