Geordin Hill-Lewis, newly elected leader of South Africa's Democratic Alliance (the country's second-largest party, historically associated with white and minority voters), says expanding the party's appeal to black South Africans — who make up roughly 80% of the population — will be his top priority. Hill-Lewis, 39, who took over from John Steenhuisen on Sunday and has chosen to remain as mayor of Cape Town rather than join the national coalition government, acknowledged a deep "trust deficit" and pledged to show that the DA is "genuinely invested" in black South Africans' advancement. His election came alongside several prominent black politicians including Solly Msimanga and Siviwe Gwarube, giving the party what he called its most diverse leadership in history — though the DA's vote share has remained stubbornly fixed around 20% since 2014, underscoring the scale of the challenge ahead.