Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has rejected claims that his party is autocratic, arguing that his approach actually empowers local communities.
In a weekly message to supporters, McKenzie addressed criticism that he runs the party without elected internal structures. He stated that instead of a top-down approach, communities directly tell him who they want to represent them as councillors or mayoral candidates.
“They say the PA is a dictatorship. How can this be a dictatorship if you tell us who you want to lead in your area?” McKenzie asked.
He contrasted this method with that of the Democratic Alliance (DA), his main political rival. He criticized the DA for making potential candidates write exams, a process he compared to being “back at school.”
McKenzie also repeated his strong criticism of the South African media, accusing it of being unfairly biased against his party. He claimed that despite the PA being the fastest-growing party in the country, the media is “hellbent on bringing him down.”
His comments follow a narrow by-election loss to the ANC in Knysna, where the PA lost by just 31 votes.
Looking ahead, McKenzie has instructed his party recruiters to focus not just on signing up new members, but also on ensuring they are registered to vote with the Electoral Commission (IEC). This is part of a strategic push to grow the party’s support, particularly in the Western Cape.