By Johnathan Paoli
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced openings for new councillor positions ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Applications will be accepted starting February 1, 2025.
The party said on Tuesday that the need for skilled South Africans is crucial to combat mismanagement and urban decay.
Briefing the media on Tuesday, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille, outlined the key decisions made during the party’s first Federal Council meeting of 2025.
She was joined by co-chair Ivan Meyer and the party’s Federal leader, John Steenhuisen,
The Federal Council meeting, held on Monday, marked the culmination of a six-month effort to revise and streamline the DA’s Candidate Nomination Regulations.
“These elections are not just about votes – they are about rescuing our towns and cities from the brink of collapse,” Zille said.
“We need committed leaders who are ready to do the hard work of rebuilding local governments. The Blue Machine lives from election to election and is determined to win more of the critical municipalities in the country.”
Zille stressed the need for skilled and dedicated individuals who share the party’s vision of efficient and accountable governance to apply.
She noted that municipalities across South Africa are grappling with financial mismanagement, service delivery failures, and institutional decay under non-DA administrations.
The DA has also introduced an innovative initiative alongside the general application process known as the Catalyst Programme.
Launched in September, the programme selected 77 aspirant candidates for a year-long training course aimed at preparing them for the rigorous nomination process.
“This year, for the first time and in parallel to the general Candidate Application process, the DA will also be running a programme for 77 aspirant individuals who were invited to join a year-long in-depth course to prepare them to compete in the candidate nomination process. We call this the “Catalyst Programme” and its participants were selected and invited in September 2024,” said Steenhuisen.
“The calibre of our candidates will be decisive in our ability to rescue local governments across South Africa.”
Steenhuisen further added that the next step in the DA’s Election preparations ahead of the upcoming Local Government Election will be the selection of mayoral candidates for strategic Metros across the country.
“We will open applications for aspirant Mayoral Candidates on 01 March 2025. Unlike many other parties, the DA selects and runs Mayoral Candidates seriously, where we are convinced that we have a serious chance of winning, or forming a new local government,” Steenhuisen told reporters.
“The DA is a growing party, and we aim to be the biggest party in Metro municipalities in South Africa after the upcoming elections. This will enable us to do the difficult but crucial work of stopping the rot and pulling South Africa’s towns and cities back from the brink. It is crucial for voters to realise that their choice of municipal councillors fundamentally affects the way they live and that capable candidates are the key to securing the future of all citizens.”
With the local government elections fast approaching, Steenhuisen outlined the DA’s strategy: strengthening municipal leadership, expanding its influence in key metros, and upholding constitutional values within the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“South Africa would not survive a doomsday coalition. It needed a coalition which included a party with a proven track record in good governance, fiscal discipline and the rule of law; and that party is the DA,” said Steenhuisen.
“The DA is ready to lead the charge in rescuing collapsing municipalities where we don’t yet govern. Where the DA governs, we govern well, and we’re prepared to bring the same success nationwide.”
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