DA banks on its ministers for voter support in local government elections

As political parties prepare for the 2026 local government elections, the DA is hoping to boost its performance by instructing its ministers to have maximum visibility during campaigns.

In a letter seen by TimesLIVE, DA leader John Steenhuisen instructed ministers and deputy ministers to participate in the by-elections campaign.

Steenhuisen said the party needs to ensure it gains maximum benefit from its participation in national government.

“Part of this would be showcasing the work done by ministers/deputy ministers in areas where we are contesting by-elections. In addition, participating in party campaign activities on the ground where your efforts can be further amplified,” he said.

The DA leader told members of the executive that participation in campaign activities must showcase the work done in their departments, and where possible be linked to the most pressing issues in wards.

He said the by-elections team would assist them with information on relevant issues. Steenhuisen said staff members from the party’s head office would communicate with their offices for their availability and “to find out what activities you will be arranging”.

The DA has held on to most of its wards during recent by-elections, retaining a ward in Midvaal, Sedibeng in February’s round of by-elections.

Steenhuisen recently told its parliamentary caucus the party it was regaining support in black and coloured communities since the formation of the government of national unity (GNU), the Sunday Times reported. He motivated why it was critical for the DA to remain in the GNU, arguing that its latest internal polling showed that lost voters in predominantly black communities were coming back to the DA fold.

The Sunday Times report stated that Steenhuisen told attendees that remaining in the GNU was good for them as it allowed the party to demonstrate its capacity to deliver services to voters at national level.

The party leader has had to fend off naysayers within the party’s top leadership who questioned why the DA remained in the GNU. In a recent federal council meeting, insiders said a debate arose on whether the party should withdraw from the GNU after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law ANC policies not aligned with the DA, including the Expropriation Act and the Bela Act.

City Press reported a poll by the Social Research Foundation reported 64.3% of respondents indicated they believed Steenhuisen's party was doing well in the GNU. The poll was conducted in February among 1,008 registered and demographically representative voters with a 3% margin of error, the report stated.

TimesLIVE