In this SMWX interview, Nicholas Nyati opens up about his journey from a small town in the Eastern Cape to becoming one of the DA’s rising young leaders. He speaks about student politics, why he opposed university shutdowns during Fees Must Fall, his push for more grounded and people-centered leadership in the DA, and why he is standing for federal deputy chairperson. The conversation also dives into the DA’s upcoming leadership conference, policy debates on gambling, teenage pregnancy, and foreign policy, as well as Nyati’s views on Israel and Palestine, the GNU, and whether the DA would ever work with ActionSA in Johannesburg.