The Patriotic Alliance (PA) will meet with the African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday evening (30 September 2025) to discuss the reinstatement of its deputy president, Kenny Kunene, as the member of mayoral committee (MMC) for Roads and Transport in Johannesburg.
Patriotic Alliance want Kenny Kunene reinstated as Gauteng transport MMC
Kunene, who was sworn in as a councillor last Friday, lost his position in a political reshuffle.
His party, however, insists that he must be returned to the role. The PA confirmed the meeting in a media statement, saying the outcome would be made public once an agreement had been reached.
The talks come after PA leader Gayton McKenzie threatened to pull his party out of all coalition arrangements with the ANC if Kunene is not reinstated. McKenzie warned that the ultimatum extends beyond Johannesburg, with the PA prepared to withdraw from coalition governments in municipalities where the ANC relies on their support.
In a Facebook Live video, McKenzie accused Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero of “disrespecting” his party. He said the PA would rather align with the Democratic Alliance (DA) than accept being sidelined by the ANC.
“If that mayor of Joburg thinks he can tell us what to do, he’s playing. Kenny Kunene is going back there to sit on the other side … if they don’t give us back our thing. We can’t be told by that man. Not us,” McKenzie said.
He added: “We will form a coalition with the DA if they are going to treat us like that as the ANC. We can’t allow them to treat us like that.”
McKenzie, who serves as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture under the Government of National Unity (GNU), said he would not sacrifice his party’s influence for the benefits of a Cabinet post.
He stressed that the PA, which won nine parliamentary seats in the 2024 general election, deserved respect as a key player in the GNU’s formation.
Speaking to eNCA on Heritage Day, McKenzie said:
“We are giving the intention to withdraw from the GNU simply because we wanna be respected. We cannot be treated like that by Dada Morero. He cannot even give our people water.”
The ANC has downplayed the threat. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told reporters that the GNU would not collapse if the PA decided to leave.
“It is not a threat that the Patriotic Alliance wants to leave, nor will it destabilise the GNU,” he said.
For now, the PA is standing firm on its demand for Kunene’s reinstatement. The outcome of Tuesday’s meeting will be watched closely, as it could decide the future of coalition politics both in Johannesburg and nationally.