ActionSA MP to lay criminal charges of intimidation against McKenzie

ActionSA member of Parliament (MP) Dereleen James will lay criminal charges of intimidation against Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie at the Cape Town Central Police Station on Tuesday.

This follows remarks that McKenzie made about James during one of his Facebook live broadcasts on Sunday, where he issued a warning to her. 

The ActionSA firebrand MP said this came after she questioned Patriotic Alliance (PA) deputy leader Kenny Kunene's links to those who are alleged to be Gauteng crime kingpins. 

She said this follows a "series of intimidation tactics and threats" spurred on by McKenzie, arising directly from her probing during the Parliament ad hoc committee into alleged links between the leadership of the PA and alleged "Big 5" cartel member Katiso "KT" Molefe.

The committee, before concluding its hearings last week, discussed how Kunene was present when Molefe was arrested for murder. 

In his Facebook Live video, Mackenzie told James that he has 24-hour security, which was taken as a threat by ActionSA.

The party said it views McKenzie's repeated attempts to intimidate James as a direct attack on an elected public representative carrying out her constitutional duties to expose criminal capture. 

She said such conduct must be addressed in accordance with the law.