Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Oupa Mokoena, Independent Newspapers
PATRIOTIC Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has moved to disband provincial and local government structures in five provinces after the results of the recent elections.
In a statement released on Monday, the party’s secretary general, Chinelle Stevens, said the PA would be disbanding provincial and local government structures in KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the North West and the Free State, where the party had not done well in the May 29 elections.
McKenzie has called for a time of self-reflection before the next local government elections in two years time.
“This is a time for introspection. The survival of the PA depends on the results; without results, we die. We carry the hopes of a nation and we dare not fail. The PA will bounce back stronger and ready for 2026 local government elections in these five provinces. We will not give up on our patriots there,” he said.
Stevens said five provincial, regional and ward structures would be disbanded “with immediate effect”.
“Following the outcomes of the 2024 national and provincial elections, the national executive committee of the party sat down to evaluate the performance of the party across all provinces and various decisions have been taken. As per the president’s live address last night (Sunday), five provincial, regional and ward structures are disbanded with immediate effect.”
Stevens added that a date would be communicated about when the executive committee would visit each province to assess the structures.
“All councillors and political appointees will also be evaluated and possibly restructured after a sit down with the leadership,” said Stevens.
In a statement, the party said it was committed to the proposal of a government of national unity (GNU), adding that “snakes” in the ANC were trying hard to convince the PA to stay out of the GNU.
McKenzie said the issue was driven by factions in the ANC in a bid to remove President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Taking to his X account, McKenzie said the PA’s decision on the GNU would be based on what the ANC would offer it and its wishes.
“Snakes within the ANC are trying hard to convince the PA to stay out of the GNU because they want to use us to get to their president (Ramaphosa). Our decision will be based solely on what our constituency is being offered by the ANC and not your factional wishes. We are in favour of GNU,” he said on X.