Founder member and president of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, and the party's deputy president, Kenny Kunene.
Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Newspapers
The Patriotic Alliance has denied allegations against Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, regarding his alleged ties to the drug trade, which surfaced during Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee hearings.
While Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, wrapped up its oral hearings, it did so, revealing several allegations and new evidence.
On Wednesday, uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MK Party) David Skosana used his time to further question Mkhwanazi about the allegations made in a letter he received from an incarcerated individual, Jermaine Prim.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged that the letter constituted hearsay evidence. In the letter, Prim alleges to have a voice recording linking McKenzie with drug dealers and drug money.
The PA’s Deputy President, Kenny Kunene, dismissed the allegations as lies on Friday, saying that neither he nor the minister is involved in drugs.
Kunene also claimed that during the by-elections in 2019, Prim’s mother was tasked with cooking for young people doing groundwork for the PA. They found that food and groceries “were disappearing under her care”, and after this evidence was raised, she was removed from the PA and cooking duty.
“Jermaine (Prim), since then, has been insulting not only the president of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie and myself, but also our councillors, especially in Eldorado Park.”
Kunene said that councillors have been insulted by Prim from prison, and writing WhatsApp messages from prison.
“I wanted to put it on record, Gayton McKenzie is not involved in drugs. I'm not involved in drugs. Jermaine has been in prison since then, and he then threatened the two councillors of the Patriotic Alliance in Ward 17 and 18.
“And with the evidence that they provided and escalated the matter to our president, Gayton McKenzie. McKenzie then informed the relevant authorities, wrote to the relevant authorities that Jermaine Prim has a cell phone in the cell, and he's using this cell phone to send lies to WhatsApp groups on the outside,” Kunene said.
Kunene added that neither McKenzie nor he has ever met with Prim, and that he does not even believe that Prim spoke to Matlala.
“McKenzie has not given Jermaine any drugs to sell in prison. McKenzie is successful and is rich from legitimate businesses,” Kunene said.
The Ad Hoc Committee has until March 31 to conclude its work and report to the National Assembly. Chairperson, Soviet Lekganyane, said the evidence leaders will present the overview of the evidence, and the secretariat will provide a report to be deliberated by the MPs.