Mpumalanga — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has retained its top four provincial leaders ahead of the 2026 government elections, following a provincial elective conference held in Sabie on 14 February 2026.
Jane Sithole continues as the provincial head, joined by her deputy Trudie Grovè-Morgan, provincial chair Bosman Grobler and finance chair David Sibanyoni. All of them have been re-elected without opposition to guide the party’s strategies for governance, service delivery and anti-corruption measures across the province.
Thapedi Mokoala has been appointed as deputy to Grobler, replacing Morgan Bruiners, completing the updated leadership team.
With the upcoming 2026 local government elections on the horizon, their mission is clear: to guide the party forward.
Jane Sithole, first elected in 2018 and successfully re-elected in 2020 and 2023, emphasised the importance of stable leadership to strengthen the party’s foundations, increase membership, and refine campaign strategies.
Grovè-Morgan and Grobler also made their mark in 2020, with their re-election occurring in 2023. Sibanyoni is a newer face, having been elected in 2023.
In her role as the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Sithole highlighted that provincial economic progress depends on enabling small businesses, supporting emerging entrepreneurs, and creating an environment where job creators can thrive.
She added that she is particularly passionate about ensuring that SMMEs and cooperatives become the backbone of the provincial economy. “Small businesses are not a side issue, they are the engine of job creation,” she said.
Grovè-Morgan said her re-election signifies that party members believe in their ability to elevate the party further. “Which is to grow the party to the point that we win most, if not all the municipalities across the province, and winning is exactly what we have to do,” she said.
She further explained how the party plans to ensure that local governments deliver essential services effectively, while addressing issues such as fraud, corruption and mismanagement. “It's a fact that many municipalities are struggling to provide basic services because of dilapidated infrastructure and lack of maintenance due to cadre deployment and incompetent officials. The DA will also consider the expertise, experience and financial powers of the private sector to help us with service delivery issues,” she said.
She added that they will use the Western Cape benchmark and policy of zero tolerance on issues of corruption, incompetency and fraud. “We will use forensic investigators, take legal action if needed, and also do constant oversight to enforce clean, transparent and efficient governance and accountability in all municipalities,” she said.
Grobler said his motivation for remaining in leadership stems from observations of communities in Middelburg and across Mpumalanga. “Witnessing the living conditions of our community is a powerful motivator for me. It is the government's duty to ensure that its citizens have access to essential services and decent living conditions,” he said.
Grobler expressed frustration at what he views as government neglect. “I truly believe that our living conditions can be better. The government does not have to fix everything, but it can create a safe environment with opportunities where citizens can thrive. We have learned how to improve our systems in such a way that the information we gather during our interactions with voters can be used more effectively,” he said.
Grobler dismissed rumours that the DA is collaborating with the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), as seen in the Steve Tshwete council. “The DA in Mpumalanga has no formal working agreement with any other political party. Where collaboration does occur, it is on a case-by-case basis and only where we believe it is to the benefit of the residents of that specific municipality,” he said.
“In many cases, the FF+ simply follows the lead of the DA caucuses across the province. DA caucuses work very hard to ensure that correct procedures are followed and that decisions made by councils are to the benefit of residents. We have found that the FF+ follows our lead because they trust the work done by DA caucuses.”
He also emphasised that the party uses a scientific approach to understand voter needs. “We have a comprehensive database of voters, their concerns and their preferences. We are going to campaign on these concerns and, once elected into government, we will ensure that they are addressed,” he said.
