Gayton McKenzie Denies Patriotic Alliance is a Dictatorship, but SA Remains Unconvinced

• Gayton McKenzie weighed in on claims that he runs the Patriotic Alliance (PA) like a dictatorship
• The PA leader also compared the way his party is run, as opposed to the Democratic Alliance
• South Africans took to social media to share their thoughts on the minister's latest comments

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE – Gayton McKenzie has dismissed claims that the Patriotic Alliance (PA) is a dictatorship.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, weighed in on claims that he ran the party in a way that only he made decisions without input from others, saying that he was empowering people to take over.

McKenzie made the statement in one of his live videos on social media. He addressed several issues, including a critique of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

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What did McKenzie say about the PA?

During his live video, McKenzie touched on the fact that the PA didn’t have elected structures, stating that he was directed by communities as to who should represent the party in governance structures.

“They say the PA is a dictatorship. How can this be a dictatorship if you tell us who you want to lead in your area?” he asked.

He said that it was a fact that the PA was the fastest-growing political party in South Africa, proof that they were doing something right.

McKenzie takes a swipe at the Democratic Alliance

The minister also compared his party's operations to those of the Democratic Alliance. He proclaimed that the PA’s leaders were elected by the community, unlike John Steenhuisen’s party.

“The DA will make you write exams like you are back at school again. Here, the community tells us, ‘President, this is our mayoral candidate, this is our councillor.' Where have you seen a party like that?”

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How did South Africans react?

Social media users didn’t hold back in their thoughts about McKenzie, with some still upset over his resurfaced tweets in which he used the K-word. Others weighed in on his claims that he wasn’t an autocrat.

Jose Cloete said:

“Must be if you do not have advisories.”

Tshepo Michael stated:

“He runs the party like it is his own personal fiefdom.”

Shaun Anthony added:

“The man who promises the world to the poor. It will catch up with him, and lots of people will be disappointed.

Nazli Abrahams said:

“I’m fairly certain that he doesn’t know what autocrat means 🤣”

Lucky Dickson Ndlovu added:

“This minister must be fired as soon as possible.”

Dennie Brandon Hartley asked:

“Eh, this one is still in politics?”

Other stories about Gayton McKenzie

Briefly News reported that the minister has been in hot water of late over tweets he made over a decade ago.

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• McKenzie said that his old tweets were taken out of context, but South Africans weren't having it.
• The minister claimed that he was being targeted as part of an orchestrated campaign.
• McKenzie said he would meet with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to share his side of the story.

Source: Briefly News