By Johnathan Paoli
The DA has elected MP and former Youth Leader Luyolo Mphithi as its new Johannesburg regional chairperson, unseating incumbent Wendy Alexander at a closely contested regional elective congress.
The congress, hosted at the Prison Break Market in Glenferness, Johannesburg, on Saturday, brought together nearly 400 delegates tasked with selecting a leadership collective that will spearhead the party’s campaign ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mphithi’s victory marks a leadership shift for the party in Johannesburg, with the former DA Youth leader positioning himself as a candidate capable of expanding the party’s footprint beyond traditional strongholds.
Speaking ahead of the vote, he emphasised his experience across diverse constituencies and his focus on growing support in townships and reclaiming lost ground in competitive areas.
“Democrats, as we approach this congress, I think it’s very important to be able to reflect on the experience that I bring to this role. I’ve served in DA strongholds. I’ve served in high-potential growth areas, townships. I’m also committed to ensuring that we regain our vote from the PA and that we ensure that ActionSA never gets votes again in our townships,” he said.
He added that his grassroots experience set him apart from other candidates.
“As you know, I am the only candidate in this congress campaign that serves a constituency in this region. I know what it means to struggle for votes. I know what it means to go out door to door, to meet targets, to deal with the administration that we all have to,” he said.
Mphithi said the party’s electoral path to victory lies in consolidating its base while expanding into new areas.
“Let’s maximize our DA strongholds. Let’s grow in the townships and let’s regain our vote in the swing areas. If we do this well, we will win 50% and cross over the line and have the city of Johannesburg and regain the quality of services back in the city. Let’s win. Let’s bring it home,” he said.
The congress elected a full slate of regional leaders to steer the party’s regional campaign: alongside Mphithi as regional chairperson, Nonhlanhla Sifumba was elected as regional vice chairperson.
Christopher Santana was elected regional chairperson of finance, while Annette Deppe took on the fundraising portfolio and also serves among the regional delegates to the provincial executive committee.
Devon Steenkamp was elected chairperson of membership and “voter relationship management” and is likewise a PEC delegate, alongside Darren Bergman.
Zander Shawe was elected chairperson of training and development, while Hendrik Bodenstein will oversee by-elections.
In addition, Anchen Dreyer and Patrick McGee were elected as non-public representative delegates to the federal council.
Addressing delegates, Johannesburg DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille outlined a series of new campaign strategies designed to secure an outright majority in the city, warning that the stakes for Johannesburg were existential.
“If we mess this up, Joburg won’t survive another five years of what it’s got now. Our research is telling us that we can get over 50%. It’s also telling us that it will take the most tremendous amount of work to get us there. But we’re not scared of work, are we?” she said.
Zille framed the upcoming election as both a “generational duty” and a “generational opportunity”, urging party members to intensify their efforts.
“We can’t enjoy the incredible bounty of South Africa, without putting something back and leaving a country for our children better than the one we were born into,” she said.
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga welcomed the congress, positioning the party as a credible alternative to the ANC.
“The DA is not perfect, not by a long shot. But one thing about the DA is, we get things done. The choice is going to be simple: you continue to put the thieves in place, or you put a government in place that is accountable,” Msimanga said.
The DA has been sharply critical of Johannesburg’s current administration, citing ongoing service delivery failures, including water shortages and deteriorating infrastructure, as evidence of governance collapse under ANC-led coalitions.
The congress also recognised party activists, councillors and constituency structures with awards for their contributions on the ground.
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