The mayor of Cape Town is contemplating a bid for leadership within a significant coalition partner in South Africa

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced on Thursday that he is contemplating a bid for the leadership of the Democratic Alliance, which is the second-largest party in South Africa’s coalition government.

On Wednesday, current DA leader John Steenhuisen declared that he would not pursue re-election in the upcoming party leadership contest in April, leading to speculation regarding his potential successor.

Political analysts view Hill-Lewis, who has been the mayor of Cape Town since 2021, as a strong contender for the position.

“Following John Steenhuisen’s announcement yesterday, numerous party members have reached out to me regarding the possibility of standing for the position of Federal Leader,” Hill-Lewis stated in a post on X.

Hill-Lewis stated that he would only announce his decision regarding a run for the DA leadership later this month, adhering to the internal party regulations concerning the commencement of public campaigning.

Regardless of his decision, he stated that he would pursue a second term as mayor of Cape Town in the local government elections anticipated to take place later this year.

The coalition government came into existence in June 2024, following the unprecedented loss of parliamentary majority by the African National Congress, marking a significant shift since the conclusion of white minority rule in 1994.

The DA holds 22% of the seats in the lower house of parliament, while the ANC has 41%.