Patriotic Alliance faces leadership turmoil as it deals with various controversies

The leadership of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) is facing tough times, with two senior members caught in a scandal.

A political analyst has warned that 'trust is one of the most critical currencies in politics.'

This comes in the wake of the resignation of the party’s deputy president and former transport MMC, Kenny Kunene, and a storm over Patriotic Alliance leader and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie’s use of the K-word in a recent live video and older social media posts, sparking public outrage and mounting calls for his removal.

McKenzie has confirmed that he will undergo an investigation following his controversial tweets and has issued an apology.

"I can never be guilty of racism, try some other take down, but never racism. I did tweet some insensitive, stupid and hurtful things a decade or two ago. I was a troll & stupid. I cringe when seeing them, and I am truly sorry for that. I shall subject myself to the investigation," he said in a post on X on Monday. 

Last year, the Democratic Alliance terminated the membership of their parliamentarian, Renaldo Gouws, after an old video surfaced online in which he used racist language. This video was originally posted on his YouTube channel in 2010.

In the same year, the South African Human Rights Commission initiated proceedings at the Equality Court in Gqeberha against Gouws. They stated that he "is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the Constitution, including human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination."

As a result of this incident, Gouws, who apologised for his remarks, lost his parliamentary seat.

Meanwhile, during a live address on Sunday night, McKenzie further announced that he has appointed the law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr to investigate allegations involving PA Deputy President Kunene, providing clarity on the party’s response to the controversy surrounding Kunene’s conduct.

Political analyst Kenneth Mokgatlhe said that despite the party facing a political storm, it likely will not hurt them much. The party has strong support among the coloured community, who feel ignored by the government. Mokgatlhe noted that only a strong rival from within the community can take votes from them.

"People who voted for them knew their past reputation, and they seemed to be comfortable with that. I don't think these particular storms may affect their electoral performance," he added.

Mokgatlhe also urged the party to professionalise its communication. He said McKenzie, as a minister, should issue formal statements and conduct himself more respectfully, as his behaviour sometimes raises doubts about his understanding of his role. 

'The party needs to clearly state its position and remain consistent.'

He added that internal crises often cause parties to decline, citing the PAC, COPE, and NFP as examples. Such conflicts create opposing groups within the party, leading to factionalism, a problem the ANC has struggled with since the 2007 Polokwane Conference.

"Parties have a constitution, which is a legal and political mechanism to help run the party. However, it is really difficult to implement the Constitution when you have parties like PA, ActionSA, RiseMzansi, and now MKP, which never go to policy and elective conferences," Mokgatlhe concluded.

Political analyst Sandile Swana previously stated that the PA tried to avoid scrutiny by launching an internal investigation outside legal channels. He suggested this was an attempt to downplay Kenny Kunene’s alleged misconduct.

“They would have hired a law firm to do a whitewash of Kenny Nkunene's deeds,” Swana said. 

He said an inquiry led by the Speaker or Mayor Dada Morero would have uncovered far more, including possible links between Kunene and the criminal underworld, something that would have seriously damaged both him and Gayton McKenzie, as well as the party as a whole.

The Star

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