Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – What Voters Made of John Steenhuisen

In late 2025, the Social Research Foundation polled* opinion on the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), John Steenhuisen. The results were a mixed bag.

Steenhuisen may resign his DA leadership position in Durban, his hometown, this morning, amid a rapidly escalating scandal of foot-and-mouth disease mismanagement, for which he has responsibility as Minister of Agriculture.

Across the electorate, 26% rated Steenhuisen favourably, made up of 15% who were very favourable towards him and 11% who were somewhat favourable to him. Negative sentiment totalled 27%, including 20% who were very unfavourable and 7% somewhat unfavourable. A further 9% described their view as neutral. Importantly, 12% said they were unsure how they felt, while 26% said they were too unfamiliar with him to have a view.

Among black voters, favourable sentiment was limited. Eight percent rated Steenhuisen very favourably and 5% somewhat favourably. Negative views were higher, with 24% very unfavourable and 6% somewhat unfavourable. Neutral sentiment stood at 9%, while 32% of black voters said they were unfamiliar and 15% unsure.

Coloured voters showed stronger positive sentiment. Twenty-seven percent rated Steenhuisen very favourably and 25% somewhat favourably, giving a combined favourable score of 52%. Unfavourable views totalled 20%, while 6% were neutral. Seventeen percent were unfamiliar and 5% unsure.

Among Indian voters, positive sentiment was higher still. Thirty-four percent rated Steenhuisen very favourably and 26% somewhat favourably, for a combined 60% favourability rating. Unfavourable sentiment totalled 15%, with 8% very unfavourable and 7% somewhat unfavourable. Neutral responses accounted for 6%, while 10% were unfamiliar and 8% unsure.

White voters showed a similar pattern. Thirty-one percent rated Steenhuisen very favourably and 30% somewhat favourably, giving a combined favourable score of 61%. Unfavourable sentiment totalled 17%, with 11% very unfavourable and 6% somewhat unfavourable. Neutral sentiment stood at 11%, while 7% were unfamiliar and 5% were unsure.

DA strategists and donors will be poring over this and similar data looking for hints and what Steenhuisen’s exit may mean for the DA. They're likely to conclude that in the court of public opinion, it won’t mean very much at all.

*The Social Research Foundation’s Q4 2025 Market Survey was commissioned by the Foundation and conducted by Victory Research among 1 002 registered voters between 27 October and 14 November 2025 using telephonic CATI interviews. A single-frame random digit-dialling design was used, drawing from all possible South African mobile numbers to ensure that every number had an equal probability of selection, with national sim card penetration exceeding 250%, more than 90% of adults owning a phone, and mobile networks covering 99.8% of the population, giving universal practical coverage. The sample was fully weighted to match the national registered voter population across all key demographics, including language, age, race, gender, education, income, and urban or rural location. Turnout modelling assigned each respondent a probability of voting based on questions measuring their likelihood of participation, with the primary turnout model set at 52.8%. The poll carries a 4.0% margin of error at a 95% confidence level, with a design effect of 1.762.