Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has forcefully rejected calls by EFF leader Julius Malema for him to testify before a parliamentary inquiry into alleged political interference in police operations and links to criminal syndicates.
Speaking on Saturday at an event hosted by the Robben Island Former Political Prisoners Union, McKenzie dismissed Malema’s suggestion as a political stunt, stating unequivocally:
“I will not go because he’s the one saying I should go. I don’t listen to Julius Malema.”
McKenzie’s comments follow Malema’s remarks during a virtual sitting of Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Friday, where the EFF submitted a list of over 20 individuals it believes should be summoned to testify. The list includes McKenzie, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and several senior intelligence and law enforcement officials.
Malema argued that anyone claiming to have knowledge about criminal activity within police ranks must appear before the committee.
“Minister McKenzie said he wants to be called because he’s got a lot to say,” Malema asserted. “He has information about the criminal syndicate that is taking place in this country.”
‘Not on Malema’s Terms’
McKenzie, however, rejected what he called “political posturing,” making it clear he would not respond to a summons motivated by the EFF.
“I don’t want Julius to get credit that he brought me there. He must forget about mentioning the PA. He must go to the dying party of his that’s in ICU,” McKenzie said.
“He can go to hell. I don’t take instructions from him.”
While distancing himself from the process, McKenzie did say the PA’s spokesperson would provide a formal statement to Parliament, acknowledging that he had previously spoken publicly on issues of criminality and corruption, but as a party representative — not in his personal capacity.
High-Stakes Inquiry Gathers Momentum
The inquiry is being driven by explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed political interference in police operations and detailed alleged links between officers and criminal syndicates.
Mkhwanazi is scheduled to testify before the committee on October 7 and 8, following a previous appearance earlier this month before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria, where he gave detailed testimony from September 17 to 19.
The parliamentary inquiry is expected to deepen as more high-profile names are debated for possible testimony, with significant political tensions simmering beneath the surface.
