Gayton’s greedy green party will never care for SA

GAYTON McKenzie’s party has really turned into a machine for their own party-affiliated jobs and salaries, anda vehicle for their own extraction at the cost of the taxpayer.

- ANGUS MCKENZIE

SPORTS, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton Mckenzie. The Patriotic Alliance's (PA) political strategy appears to seize every opportunity to secure positions of power, regardless of the moral dubiousness of the candidate and the potential consequences for service delivery, says the writer. | File

The Patriotic Alliance's (PA) political strategy appears to seize every opportunity to secure positions of power, regardless of the moral dubiousness of the candidate and the potential consequences for service delivery.

McKenzie has been accused of misusing funds under his department of Sports, Arts and Culture to promote his party. Three festivals funded by the Mzansi Golden Economy Fund allegedly featured mostly artists with PA connections. At least three members of the fund’s allocation panel are reportedly active PA members, including party spokesperson Steve Motale, creating a serious conflict of interest.

Despite McKenzie’s promises of ‘vrek goeie nuus’ for the arts festivals, he has since cut funding for established festivals such as the Suidoosterfees and reportedly diverted resources to new community events featuring ‘PA artists, thereby turning public money into a ‘campaign tool for his party. That's not just cutting a budget - that’s cutting the wings of our artists, our youth, and our future.

The political merry-go-round has also seen the PA’s Kenny Kunene resign as a Joburg Metro MEC, only to return on the instruction of President Cyril Ramaphosa, tells you all you need to know about failed leadership and failed governance.