The Editor's Desk - Wed 4 Feb 2026: Steenhuisen bows out as the DA eyes the summit

I’m weighing in on John Steenhuisen’s surprise decision to step down as DA leader and why his "moonshot" successor might be just what the party needs. Plus, we look at the latest Epstein file dump—and the prominent South African name that’s cropped up in the pages..Don't miss out on future episodes of The Editor's Desk. Subscribe to BizNews Premium and get the podcast delivered to your inbox daily..Listen here.Edited transcript of today's Editor's Desk episode.This is the Editor’s Desk, exclusive analysis for BizNews Premium members. Today is Wednesday, the 4th of February 2026, and I’m glad to have you with me. The big news of the morning, something that was, I suppose, telegraphed quite well on BizNews as you woke up today, is that John Steenhuisen, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, is not going to stand for re-election. He will continue as the leader until April, when the election of the new leader happens, and he will continue in his role as the Minister of Agriculture. Here is how Steenhuisen disclosed it just less than an hour ago:"As the DA, but also other GNU partners, hold internal elections over the coming months, it’s paramount that we all continue to put South Africa ahead of factional and personal agendas. It would be a tragedy too great to contemplate for internal party manoeuvring to plunge the GNU and our country into chaos. We have come too far and we still have too far to go to allow any bot to derail the progress that we are making. I today announce that I will not seek re-election for a third term as a DA federal leader at the party’s upcoming federal congress. And I do so with a full heart, knowing that I’ve accomplished my DA moonshot mission and that my work in government now requires me to similarly pour my heart and soul and all of my energies into defeating foot-and-mouth disease." He also noted that he will hand over the reins in April to a "fundamentally healthier party," pointing out that instead of 16%, the DA is now consistently polling at 30% and is within striking distance of becoming the biggest political party in South Africa. There was a bit of emotion there, and if you watched the televised live discussion, you would have seen that at times it definitely came through. Is Steenhuisen stepping away happily and confidently to focus on foot-and-mouth? Well, there’s no doubt that the foot-and-mouth disease chaos—the "veldfire" that has erupted around South Africa—is far worse than anyone anticipated. It is the worst disaster since the Rinderpest in 1897 and, as a consequence, it needs full attention. On the other hand, there have been a lot of knives out for him. The idea being that he’s the wrong person to give the DA the drive it needs to become the leading party. There was also the "scuttlebutt" regarding his education and his private sector record. The reality is that Steenhuisen did get a matric university pass, he did attend some courses, and he certainly worked in the private sector. He perhaps allowed those rumours to fester, thinking people would eventually realise the truth, but it shows that when you are in the public eye, it isn't that easy. The odds-on favourite to succeed Steenhuisen is Geordin Hill-Lewis. I first met Geordin in London around 2016 when he was working with Mmusi Maimane. Even then, in his mid-20s, he was an incredibly bright and polished politician. What Geordin has in his favour is an incredible ability to connect with people on the other side of the political divide. As Mayor of Cape Town, he has managed to get leaders from both the ANC and the EFF to resign from their parties and join the DA. If he can take that into the national arena, it’s a powerful asset heading into the local and national elections. I’ll be attending the DA Federal Congress at Gallagher Estate in Midrand this April. While BizNews is focused on business and investment, in a developing country, you have to pay attention to the political economy. If you get the politics wrong, the country goes wrong. The other big story coming through is the naming of Jacob Zuma in the latest release of the Epstein files—a massive cache of some three million pages. The US Department of Justice has loaded these online with a search engine, making it easier for the public to find mentions. Names coming out include Richard Branson, who reportedly wrote an email to Jeffrey Epstein, and Elon Musk. As Edward Luce from the Financial Times mentions in a superb piece on BizNews today, there are very few people who come out of this with any credit. He does, however, give "eternal credit" to Tina Brown and Melinda Gates, both of whom reportedly rejected Epstein’s circle. Melinda Gates famously said she went into Epstein’s home and "felt dirty," while her husband, Bill Gates, unfortunately, seemed quite happy to be there. I’m going to leave it there for today. Thanks for trusting us with your time. I’m Alec Hogg. Until tomorrow, cheerio.

The Editor's Desk - Wed 4 Feb 2026: Steenhuisen bows out as the DA eyes the summit

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