The mayor of Cape Town, one of South Africa’s premier tourist destinations, has expressed his intention to “foster trust” in order to attract more voters to the Democratic Alliance (DA), the country’s second-largest party within the ruling coalition.
Geordin Hill-Lewis, aged 39, declared his candidacy in February. He has served as mayor since 2021, leading a city often regarded as one of the better-managed municipalities nationwide.
The current DA leader, John Steenhuisen, announced in February that he would not seek a third term.
In an interview, Hill-Lewis explained, “My focus is on bridging the gap between the DA and the millions of South Africans who do not yet support us. By building trust and showing that we can govern effectively for everyone—regardless of where they live or where they were born—I hope to give people confidence to vote for the DA.”
Hill-Lewis faces competition from Sibusiso Dyonase for the party leadership. Delegates are scheduled to select the DA’s top officials at a congress on April 11 and 12.
The leadership contest is particularly significant as the party prepares for upcoming local elections later this year.
Under Hill-Lewis’s stewardship, Cape Town is widely seen as one of South Africa’s more efficiently run municipalities.
Despite assertions of favorable polling, the centre-right DA continues to grapple with a perception that it primarily represents the white minority.