Hill-Lewis secured victory over Sedibeng Municipality caucus leader Sibusiso Dyonase on the second day of the party’s Federal Congress at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand . He takes over from John Steenhuisen, who led the party for six years and guided it into the national Government of National Unity (GNU) following the hung parliament of the 2024 general elections .

“I am not satisfied with being a junior partner in a government of national unity,” Hill-Lewis told delegates in his acceptance speech. “Our ambition must be to lead the national government” .

The 39-year-old laid out a four-point strategy to achieve this: governing competently, deepening community presence, acting as a principled coalition partner, and leading with optimism.

His top national priority was unambiguous: crime. “Bringing law and order to South Africa must be our top priority. Not one priority among many. The priority,” he said, describing a country where criminals currently act with impunity .

Hill-Lewis paid tribute to his predecessors, particularly Tony Leon and Helen Zille, for building the party from a small opposition into a governing force at local and provincial levels . He also thanked Steenhuisen for “preparing the DA for a new era in South African politics: the era of national coalitions” .

The congress also elected former Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga as the new Federal Chairperson, with Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Communications Minister Solly Malatsi elected as his deputies .

With local government elections expected between November 2026 and January 2027, Hill-Lewis set an immediate target: winning multiple major metros including Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay, and eThekwini .

“The DA must be that movement,” he concluded. “Now we must build the biggest party in South Africa, a party that is strong enough to win” .

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