WATCH | Liam Jacobs makes political U‑turn, rejoins DA

Jacobs

Cape Town – Former DA member Liam Jacobs has returned to the Democratic Alliance less than a year after leaving the party for the Patriotic Alliance.

Jacobs, who joined the PA in June 2025, announced his return to the DA on social media. As of Monday, PA leader Gayton McKenzie had not publicly commented on his departure.

Welcoming Jacobs back, DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said the move reflected the type of party the DA was seeking to build.

“Liam’s return to the DA is a reflection of the kind of party we are building. A big, growing and inclusive political home for all South Africans who want our country to work,” Hill-Lewis said in a statement, according to The South African.

He argued that the DA’s growth was being driven by voters looking beyond “the politics of chaos, personality cults, and empty promises” and claimed Jacobs had left the PA after seeing “firsthand that the PA never delivers on promises.”

Hill-Lewis said people should be allowed to change their minds and return to causes they believe in.

“People sometimes take the wrong road. What matters is whether they are willing to correct course and recommit themselves to the work of building a better South Africa. That is a sign of maturity and braveness. Liam has done that, and we welcome him back,” he said.

The DA leader also rejected the idea that political relationships could not be repaired after a split.

“We do not and will never subscribe to the school of politics that says once a bridge is burnt it can never be repaired. And that once someone has wronged you, they are dead to you. That is unhealthy in politics and in life,” he said.

The move has drawn criticism from former DA MP Renaldo Gouws, who questioned why Jacobs was welcomed back despite his previous criticism of the party, The Citizen reported.

Gouws suggested Jacobs had returned because the PA had failed to meet his expectations and accused both Jacobs and the DA of acting out of political convenience.

Jacobs left the DA in 2025 claiming he was “finally free” and “finally home” after joining the PA, making his return a significant political U-turn ahead of November’s local government elections.

In his statement, Hill-Lewis said South Africa needed “a political alternative that is bigger than grievance, bigger than division, and bigger than any individual” and invited South Africans from all communities to join the DA as the country heads towards the elections.

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