Don’t give instructions you’re not willing to follow, Gayton McKenzie tells DA

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie says his party will not be told whom it should speak to in postelections coalitions, a clear sign the opposition’s pact being fashioned in Johannesburg on Wednesday and Thursday will struggle to hold.

“I don’t take instructions from the DA,” he said in a video on Wednesday.

The PA, together with the EFF, UDM, Good, ATM and other smaller parties are not party to the pact. But their support is key if the opposition parties desire to oust the ANC from power is to be realised.

Earlier this year, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the party would form a pre-election “moonshot” pact with like-minded political parties, civil society organisations and movements “to keep the EFF out” and prepare the ground for a possible national opposition coalition government.

McKenzie said his party will not be told by the DA not to talk and work with the ANC when it is doing the same thing “behind the scenes”.

He said he is willing to sign a declaration not to go into a coalition with the ANC after next year’s elections provided the DA does the same.

“Don’t give us instructions you are not willing to follow. The PA is willing to not go [into a coalition] with the ANC as along as the DA also signs the declaration,” he said.

In response, DA MP Dean Macpherson suggested McKenzie was not being honest.

“When the DA asked him not to be in a coalition with the ANC around the country in order to rejoin the coalition in Johannesburg, he refused. Now he wants to sign a declaration saying he won’t? The man speaks right but goes left,” said Macpherson.

McKenzie said: “I don’t take instructions from the DA. I never did and never will. Stop personalising everything. Let’s all sign the declaration publicly. Your imminent deal with the ANC is preventing you from signing. Let’s sign.

“You can’t have your bread buttered on both sides in this instance. Pick a side and stop preaching against things you are willing to do. Let’s all sign we will not work with the ANC.”

The DA, IFP, Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA, United Independent Movement, Spectrum National Party and Independent South African National Civic Organisation are convening in Kempton Park on Wednesday to plan the formation of a moonshot pact intended to unseat the ANC in next year’s elections.

TimesLIVE