Political shake-up: Gayton McKenzie to step down as minister

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has announced he will resign as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture on Tuesday, as his party prepares to withdraw from all governing coalitions with the African National Congress (ANC) at national, provincial, and local levels.

The decision follows what McKenzie describes as repeated acts of bad faith, political betrayal, and “disrespect” by ANC leaders, particularly in Gauteng, where tensions have escalated over key political appointments and service delivery failures.

In a Facebook statement on Thursday, McKenzie detailed the situation, starting with events in Ekurhuleni, where the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) allegedly told the ANC they did not want the PA in the coalition. “We didn’t form part,” McKenzie said.

He added that in Johannesburg, the PA had initially secured two portfolios, Human Settlements and Roads and Transport, but later agreed to relinquish one.

“We were approached by ANC to relinquish the post of Human Settlements to the IFP, we agreed because we wanted a stronger coalition,” McKenzie said.

“We were the only party willing to do that. We were left with one portfolio: Roads & Transport.”

Things escalated when PA deputy president Kenny Kunene stepped down as MMC for Roads and Transport following public backlash.

McKenzie said the PA voluntarily withdrew Kunene “to spare the coalition the agony of answering questions about someone who is not from their party.”

The party then put forward Liam Jacobs as Kunene’s replacement, but the ANC’s Gauteng leadership, including Johannesburg ANC Chairperson and mayor Dada Morero, refused to swear him in, citing a lack of experience.

McKenzie pushed back, saying, “I had to point out to them how educated Liam is compared to people in the same position currently who have no matric,” he said. “I also showed them that he already was an MP at a young age.”

He believes the real reason for the rejection was that Morero had already promised the Roads & Transport portfolio to the EFF.

He described the refusal to reinstate Kunene, even after he was cleared, as further proof that the ANC no longer respected the coalition agreement. “Kenny is still waiting,” he added.

But it was the recent water crisis in Westbury, Newclare, and Coronationville that pushed the party to breaking point. Community members planned to close the N1 in protest, but McKenzie convinced them to hold a local picket instead.

“SAPS was unleashed on them and they started shooting the residents,” he said.

Dada Morero eventually visited the area and promised 16 water trucks. “Another lie,” said McKenzie, who later arranged private water trucks for the community with the help of a friend.

Following the incident, the PA issued a seven-day ultimatum to the ANC to reinstate Kunene. “Failing to do so will necessitate a move which will cause us to withdraw from all local, provincial, and national governments where we are in a coalition with ANC,” McKenzie said.

“I shall also vacate my position as Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture on Tuesday together with all deployed leaders in local, provincial and national government,” he wrote. “We shall all go to the ground.''

''Never forget the biggest lesson here: you can remain to dine at a table when disrespect is on the menu. We opt to leave rather. Ons baiza nie. Salute.”

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