By Marcus Moloko
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has announced he will resign as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture and pull the party out of all governing coalitions with the ANC at national, provincial, and local levels.
The decision comes amid tensions with coalition partners over political appointments and service delivery disputes.
In his threat to withdraw, the minister said: “We are not considering; we are withdrawing.”
“We are withdrawing from the GNU (Government of National Unity). In the GNU, you sign when you are unhappy with processes. We have given our intention to withdraw.”
Intent on his party’s withdrawal this coming week, the minister made it clear that there were challenges that needed clear action.
“We can’t be treated like that by Dada Morero. I will go back to the ground, and we will see what the future holds,” said McKenzie.
Mckenzie said he would not stand certain treatment from Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero.
This comes after reports of pressure from Morero to reinstate the party’s deputy president, Kenny Kunene, to his former mayoral committee role.
An investigation into Kunene was initiated after he was found at the scene of the arrest of murder accused Katiso Molefe in connection with the killing of DJ Sumbody, whose real name was Oupa John Sefoka. DJ Sumbody was gunned down in a hail of bullets outside a Johannesburg nightclub in November 2022.
McKenzie also accused Morero of blocking the appointment of 24-year-old PA newcomer Liam Jacobs.
The withdrawal of Jacobs as a city councillor would have lasted only weeks.
McKenzie argues that the PA cannot be part of a coalition where it is not respected.
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