‘We will form coalition with DA': Gayton McKenzie's ultimatum to ANC over Kenny Kunene's reinstatement
Minister Gayton McKenzie, leader of the Patriotic Alliance
Image: Supplied
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has threatened to pull his party out of all coalition agreements with the African National Congress (ANC) if his deputy, Kenny Kunene, is not reinstated as Johannesburg’s transport MMC.
In a Facebook Live video, McKenzie said the ANC in Johannesburg had seven days to act or face the collapse of coalition arrangements across the country.
“If that mayor of Joburg thinks he can tell us what to do, he’s playing. Kenny Kunene is going back there to sit on the other side, on the bench in council, if they don’t give us back our thing. We will take nothing else there. We can’t be told by that man (Joburg Mayor Dada Morero). Not us,” said McKenzie.
He warned that the PA was prepared to align itself with the Democratic Alliance (DA) if the ANC continued to, in his words, “disrespect” his party.
“One year is a very short time in politics. We will meet them, and we will form a coalition with the DA. We don’t have that thing of saying we will never work with the DA next year, in the next election. We will form a coalition with the DA if they are going to treat us like that as the ANC. We can’t allow them to treat us like that.”
McKenzie also threatened to pull the PA out of coalition agreements in municipalities where the ANC depends on his party for power.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
“People think because I am a minister, they can do what they like with the PA … you guys got many jokes. Show us, if you don’t put Kenny Kunene back, we will leave every coalition we have with the ANC, starting with JB Marks (municipality). Within seven days if Kunene is not back in his position, every PA member in JB Marks, every PA coalition with the ANC, you withdraw with immediate effect.”
Taking direct aim at Morero, he added: “Who does Dada think he is?”
The sports minister stressed that he would not sacrifice his party’s interests for the perks of serving in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
On Thursday, IOL reported that McKenzie had hinted at a possible PA exit from both the GNU and the Johannesburg coalition, citing “disrespect” from partners and the sidelining of Kunene.
McKenzie, who holds the portfolio of Sport, Arts and Culture in the GNU, said the PA was tired of being treated as though its role in government did not matter, despite the mandate it received in the 2024 general elections. The party surprised many when it secured nine parliamentary seats, becoming a key player in the GNU’s formation.
Speaking to broadcaster eNCA on Heritage Day, McKenzie confirmed that the PA would begin disengaging from coalition arrangements.
“We are not considering, we are withdrawing from our relationship in coalitions and immediately after that we are going to start the processes of withdrawing from the GNU also. In the GNU you sign that if you are unhappy, there are processes that you follow. In the coalitions, we didn’t sign that, so we are leaving immediately from the coalitions,” he said.
He added: “We are giving the intention to withdraw from the GNU simply because we wanna be respected. We cannot be treated like that by Dada Morero. He cannot even give our people water. He has got something against us, and we see it in how he treats the people of Westbury. We are not here for positions. I will go back, I will go to the ground and we will see what the future holds.”
Earlier this week, IOL reported that Kunene has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a law firm and has resumed his duties in the party. McKenzie made the announcement.
Kenny Kunene
Image: Facebook
In July, IOL reported that the PA had suspended Kunene pending an investigation into his presence at the Sandton home of businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, a suspect in the 2022 assassination of popular musician and club owner Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka.
In the Facebook Live broadcast on Monday evening, McKenzie said he was relieved after a probe by respected law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr exonerated Kunene.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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