Gayton McKenzie Breaks Silence on DA’s Refusal to Offer PA Two MMC Positions

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has revisited the coalition negotiations that followed the political uncertainty surrounding former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse, claiming that the Democratic Alliance (DA) refused to accommodate a proposal that could have helped keep her in office.

McKenzie shared his account of the negotiations, specifically addressing the role played by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba and the discussions over the allocation of mayoral committee member (MMC) positions.

According to McKenzie, Mashaba fought hard to keep Phalatse as mayor, while the PA requested two MMC positions during the negotiations. However, McKenzie claims the DA was only prepared to offer the party one position.

He explained that the PA was prepared to walk away from the arrangement because its request had not been met. The situation reportedly changed when ActionSA offered one of its own positions to help the PA secure the two MMC positions it wanted.

Despite that intervention, McKenzie alleges that the DA still refused to accept the proposal.

He described his account as the truth, emphasising that he was directly involved in the discussions and knew what had happened during the negotiations.

The comments add to the ongoing debate about the relationship between the DA, ActionSA and the PA, particularly their previous attempts to work together in coalition arrangements.

McKenzie’s account also highlights the disagreements that can emerge during coalition negotiations, where parties must balance their political demands, representation and the need to secure enough support to govern.

The allocation of MMC positions can become a major sticking point because these roles give coalition partners an opportunity to participate in municipal administration and influence service delivery decisions.

His latest remarks may also renew attention on Mashaba’s role in the negotiations, given McKenzie’s acknowledgement of the ActionSA leader’s efforts to keep Phalatse in office.

However, McKenzie’s version represents his account of the discussions, and the DA’s response to the latest claims was not included in the information provided.

https://x.com/GaytonMcK/status/2120249597352145377

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