Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has announced he will resign on Tuesday when the Patriotic Alliance (PA) formally withdraws from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The dramatic move comes after Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero ignored an ultimatum to reinstate PA deputy president Kenny Kunene to his former mayoral committee position.
McKenzie revealed that a legal investigation he initiated had cleared Kunene of any misconduct after Kunene was found at the scene of the arrest of murder-accused Katiso Molefe.
Taking to social media, McKenzie declared that the PA will also pull out of all other coalition agreements at every level of government next week.
He accused the Johannesburg administration of sidelining the PA despite the party making sacrifices to maintain unity. McKenzie said the PA even gave up one of the two mayoral committee seats originally promised to them in order to accommodate the IFP.
However, he alleged that Mayor Morero had conspired with the EFF to award the key transport portfolio to another party while blocking the appointment of 24-year-old PA newcomer Liam Jacobs, a former DA MP. McKenzie described it as a humiliation to withdraw Jacobs as a city councillor only weeks after his appointment.
The minister said the breaking point came when the city failed to provide water to residents in Westbury and Newclare. He claimed he had to personally arrange for four water trucks to assist desperate communities.
McKenzie stated that the PA will not stay in a coalition where it is not respected and would rather walk away.
If the party follows through, it will become the first to exit the GNU since its formation 15 months ago — making McKenzie the first minister to resign as a result.
Compiled by Aiden Dairies
First published by Cape {Town} Etc
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