PA reaches “common ground” with ANC in JHB; no resignations, no GNU exit

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has confirmed that its leadership and MPs will remain in government after the party expressed satisfaction with the outcome of a meeting held with the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg this week.

PA deputy leader Kenny Kunene said the engagement, which included the Johannesburg metro’s leadership as well as representatives from the Gauteng provincial government, related to the governance of municipalities in the province.

The engagement comes after PA leader, Gayton McKenzie, issued an ultimatum to resign as Minister and withdraw his party from the GNU, if Kunene was not reinstated to his position on the mayoral committee.

Speaking during a Facebook Live after the talks, Kunene said that both the PA and ANC had brought their own proposals and inputs.

“The discussion expanded to Ekurhuleni, as we know that (Dino Peterson) was supposed to be an MMC there. The discussion expanded to Emfuleni, the discussion also expanded to West Rand. And we also spoke about Tshwane, there were proposals on the table for Gauteng, and the meeting went very well.”

Kunene emphasised that the discussion had brought some stability between the two parties.

“We have also dealt with the issue of the threat. We have put it aside. We have found common ground. But we’ve also highlighted our dissatisfaction with the ANC in terms of how things are being handled.”

He stressed that the threats of resignation or that the PA would withdraw from coalitions were over.

“This meeting has put to bed the issue of the resignation of the prez [PA President Gayton McKenzie] or us withdrawing from coalitions, it has put it to bed. The proposals made sense and we are quite, quite, quite excited.”

PA leader Gayton McKenzie did not attend due to other obligations, but Kunene said he was briefed on the meeting and has endorsed the outcomes.