The DA's leader in Gauteng, John Moodey, is backing its MPL Makashule Gana for the party's premiership in next year’s general elections.
Moodey, who is also leader of the opposition in the legislature, said he would support Gana’s candidature.
He had indicated after the party’s Gauteng congress in November that he was not interested in becoming premier, he said.
Gauteng is expected to be highly contested at the 2019 polls, especially after the DA - with the help of the EFF - wrested two of the province’s three metros - Tshwane and Joburg - from the ANC.
Last night, Gana announced that he would be putting his name forward as the DA candidate for Gauteng premier.
He said this would trigger the country’s most important election campaign.
"I believe that we can and know that we must win Gauteng, which is why I am availing myself to be the Gauteng premier candidate for the DA.
"This is not a decision I have taken lightly. It has been 16 years in the making.
"I have been a member and activist at community level for the DA,” Gana pointed out.
In 2016, Gana returned from Parliament, where he was the DA’s human settlements spokesperson, to the legislature, in what many saw as a move towards standing for premier.
Gana said a DA-led Gauteng would make it easier for businesses to employ South Africans by cutting the excessive red tape and restrictions that hold entrepreneurs back and preventing them from launching new businesses and accessing start-up capital.
Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga yesterday said he would not make himself available for consideration for the premiership.
Msimanga, who was unsuccessful in his bid to topple his Nelson Mandela Bay counterpart Athol Trollip as federal chairperson, said the candidate would be selected once the DA's internal processes had been concluded.
”I will respect and support the candidate who emerges from that process,” he said.
In his closing address at the party’s federal congress on Sunday, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said their primary goal that must fill them with passion was winning Gauteng.
"We can do it, and we will do it.
"To our provincial leader, John Moodey, and his team - the whole of the DA congress is supporting our campaign in Gauteng, and we are with you.
"Make us proud,” Maimane said.
He was confident that the DA-led governments in Tshwane and Joburg had begun to show Gauteng residents what the party can do if voted to govern the province next year and bring about real change.
He also called on party members to visit every house, knock on every door and speak to every voter in order to win the political battle to lead Gauteng in 2019.