CAPE TOWN, June 2 (Reuters) – As Nick Searra gazes over Cape Town’s False Bay, he acknowledges the efficiency of South Africa’s second-largest city, a stronghold of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA). However, he remains hesitant to support the party or its 48-year-old leader John Steenhuisen as the rulers of the nation. “Imagine an old white man as the president of South Africa,” remarks Searra, a 44-year-old white Johannesburg native who relocated to Cape Town in 2022.
This week’s election marked a seismic shift, ending the African National Congress (ANC)’s majority, which has held since the end of apartheid in 1994. The ANC, the party of the late Nelson Mandela, now faces the unprecedented task of forming a coalition with a major rival. Despite a modest gain of just one percentage point since the 2019 vote, the DA and Steenhuisen find themselves in a pivotal position.
The ANC, still the largest party, has been significantly impacted by a new rival led by former President Jacob Zuma. With 21.8% of the vote, the DA stands as the second largest party and a crucial player in forming a new majority that could shape the nation’s future. “For 30 years, we’ve said the way to rescue South Africa is to break the ANC majority. We’ve done that,” Steenhuisen declared after Wednesday’s vote results were clear.
However, in a country scarred by apartheid, where white South Africans comprise only 7% of the population, the DA struggles to shed its image as a party for the wealthy white minority. Political analyst Melanie Verwoerd argues the issue is both ideological and racial. Steenhuisen, an advocate of economic liberalism, seeks to end the racial quota system for employers and reduce government intervention, a stance that clashes with the needs of many in a country where 24 million rely on welfare.
“I don’t believe they set out to be a party of white privilege,” Verwoerd commented. “But they end up being that.” The DA has consistently refuted such accusations. In contrast to the nation’s broader economic stagnation and crumbling infrastructure, the Western Cape, under DA control since 2009, has shown measurable improvements. It boasts the lowest unemployment rate, is a major tourist destination, and suffers less from power cuts.
“It’s better than other provinces,” says Lauran Musgrave, a 31-year-old Cape Town resident and DA supporter. “They should be ruling the whole country.” However, Cape Town remains heavily segregated, a legacy of apartheid. Black tour guide Theo Makhaphela, 39, who frequents both well-maintained areas and crime-ridden townships, remains skeptical. “They talk a good game. But on the ground, if you’re from here, you know what’s on,” he says.
Solly Malatsi, a Black DA leader, asserts that the party is gaining traction among Black voters. “Our support among Black voters is on an upward trajectory,” he claims, noting improved scores in predominantly Black areas in Wednesday’s election. DA officials in the Western Cape assert that the provincial government allocates more resources to poorer areas than to wealthier ones.
Zwelivelile ‘Mandla’ Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, remains unconvinced. “Their successes continue to be only for the few,” he says. “The poorest of the poor still lack access to clean water and proper sewage systems.”
Phumzile Van Damme, who joined the DA believing it to be an inclusive political home, reflects on her disillusionment. Elected to parliament in 2014, she was part of a wave of young Black lawmakers aiming to diversify the party. However, after a disappointing 2019 election, the DA lost a segment of white Afrikaans-speaking voters, leading to internal resistance against these efforts. Mmusi Maimane, the DA’s first Black leader, resigned, citing undermining forces within the party. He was replaced by Steenhuisen, followed by other Black lawmakers, including Van Damme.
While Van Damme does not consider the DA racist, she believes it mirrors the broader struggles with race in South Africa. “It no longer felt like a welcoming home,” she says. Responding to Van Damme’s comments, Malatsi counters, “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Helen Zille, another senior DA leader, points to the party’s 452 Black public representatives as evidence of its commitment to diversity. “The only party that’s demanded diverse leadership is the DA, and we’re the only one that has it,” Zille asserts. “And we’re the only one that keeps on getting criticized.”
