McKenzie: PA's decision to leave govt not because of issues within GNU

CAPE TOWN - Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said he would not be resigning as minister because of problems within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

He says his resignation on Tuesday will be because of a failed relationship with the African National Congress (ANC) at local government level, like in the City of Johannesburg.

McKenzie was speaking at Cape Town’s Robben Island during a commemoration of former political prisoners.

McKenzie and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) gave Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero seven days to reinstate Kenny Kunene to the mayoral committee.

This comes after Kunene was cleared of any wrongdoing after he was found at the scene of the arrest of Katiso "KT" Molefe, who is accused of orchestrating the murder of Oupa Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody.

The party said only Kunene’s reinstatement would prevent their exit from the GNU.

But McKenzie said their decision to leave government was not because of issues within the GNU.

"There's nothing wrong in the GNU, but there's everything wrong down there. I'm not the type of leader that sits at the table and be indifferent to the suffering of my leaders. We are not being treated in the fashion that we expect to be treated." he said.

McKenzie also reiterated that the PA would not support a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa, even from outside the GNU.