Outgoing DA leader Steenhuisen declares mission accomplished on ‘moonshot pact’

The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s outgoing leader, John Steenhuisen, has declared mission accomplished on his “moonshot pact” to unseat the African National Congress (ANC) from an outright majority in government.

Steenhuisen delivered his final speech as the blue party’s leader for more than six years as more than 2,000 delegates gather at its federal congress in Midrand to elect his replacement.

He’s told the gathering it’s been the greatest honour of his life to lead the party from the opposition benches in Parliament into a coalition government.

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Steenhuisen said he’s handing over the reins of a party that is now stronger and healthier than when he first stepped in as interim leader in 2019.

Reflecting on the party’s evolution that started with the Progressive Party in 1959, Steenhuisen has told supporters that this is the generation that is starting to change history.

“Thanks to our moonshot mission, South Africa has taken a major step forward to realising the vision.”

After almost two years in government, Steenhuisen has cited work done in the party’s ministerial portfolios as evidence that it has been able to successfully transition from an opposition to a co-governing party in national government, and not only at local level.

“The fact that a country as diverse as South Africa now has a multi-party coalition governing, and it is increasingly anchored in our liberal reform agenda, is an astonishing national achievement.”

Steenhuisen is set to be succeeded by popular frontrunner Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who is up against the Sedibeng Municipality’s Sibusiso Dyonase.

Steenhuisen said he will now be focussing all his energy on eradicating foot-and-mouth disease in his portfolio as agriculture minister and return to the party’s trenches to grow it to become the country’s largest ahead of the 2029 elections.