Gayton Mckenzie Flip-flops On Da Leaving Gnu: 'it Would Hurt The Country'

Patriotic Alliance PA leader Gayton McKenzie no longer wants the Democratic Alliance DA to leave the government of national unity GNU.

In an opinion piece published on Business Day on Tuesday 8 April, McKenzie argues that a DA exit would hurt the country.

Just last week, McKenzie said in Parliament that the DA should leave the GNU for opposing the budget framework. In a post on X , he also told DA leader John Steenhuisen to file your resignation papers.

However, in his opinion piece, the Sports, Arts and Culture Minister now argues differently.

There were a lot of emotions after the DA voted against the finance minister's budget last week. Many, including me, called for the DA to walk out of the GNU, or for the president to remove it through a cabinet reshuffle, he writes.

However, as much as I personally might not like it, the fact is the GNU would be a shadow of its former self without the DA's 87 seats and the FF's six, and we would then have to find a way to govern with a majority of just a handful of seats.

Furthermore, the DA has said it is not ready to walk away yet, McKenzie adds.

I feel nothing for the DA, but I know it will hurt the country it is thrown out of the GNU. We have the chance with this GNU to fix this country and avoid having to live in a one-bedroom flat. We can build a mansion and all live in it, he argues.

In a statement on Tuesday, Steenhuisen said the DA was still willing to discuss power sharing with the African National Congress ANC.

The ANC must now demonstrate that it is equally committed to the spirit and substance of sharing power, which is a natural consequence of the last election, he added.