By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

Last Thursday the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, in a late-night Facebook post, threatened to resign from his post as Minister if his Deputy Kenny Kunene is not reinstated as the Mayoral Committee Member (MMC) for the city of Johannesburg.

“We took a decision as the Patriotic Alliance leadership to give the ANC seven days to reinstate Kenny Kunene; failing to do so will necessitate a move which will cause us to withdraw from all local, provincial and national governments where we are in a coalition with the ANC” said Minister McKenzie.

Other reasons which inspired Minister McKenzie to threaten resignation is also in part due to the refusal of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to want to be in coalition with the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the City of Ekhuruleni as well as only receiving the roads and transport portfolio in the City of Johannesburg when it they had asked for the portfolios of both cities.

 “I shall also vacate my position as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture on Tuesday together with all deployed leaders in local, provincial and national government.” Minister McKenzie added.

Kenny Kunene had resigned from his post as Joburg Councillor and MMC for transport in July due to being suspended by the PA for being found at the home of murder Katiso “KT” Molefe.

 On Monday via McKenzie, the law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr which had been handling the case regarding Kunene’s visit to Molefe’s home had stated that Kunene had been cleared of any wrong doing.

Then Minister McKenzie had stated on Facebook live that he had always known of Kunene’s innocence. In 2022 Molefe had been arrested and charged with the murders of Hector Bhutelezi and Oupa John Sekofa as they were known as DJ Sumbody and DJ Vintos.

Molefe is currently under custody as he was denied bail in the previous month. McKenzie stated in his Facebook post on Thursday that the PA had withdrawn Kunene so that the ANC wouldn’t have to deal with answering for a member from another party.

The PA had replaced Kunene with Liam Jacobs but was denied being sworn in as MMC by Mayor Dada Morero due to inexperience.

 “I had to point out to them how educated Liam is compared to people in the same position currently who have no matric. I also showed them that he already was an MP at a young age,” Minister McKenzie wrote.

Liam Jacobs previously served as MP for the Democratic Alliance (DA) before leaving the party to join the PA as he has been nominated by McKenzie as mayoral candidate of the City of Cape Town.

 “We were forced to withdraw Liam a few weeks after he was made a councillor, a very humiliating experience for the PA,” said McKenzie.