Minister Gayton McKenzie Calls Out DA Federal Chair Helen Zille for Cynical GNU Remarks: “Withdraw”
- Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie recently hit out at DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille
- McKenzie responded to Zille's recent contribution at a public dialogue, in which she described the GNU as an ANC-DA coalition
- Social media users expressed different and cascading viewpoints as McKenzie's post quickly went viral
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JOHANNESBURG — Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille caused quite a stir with her punctuated remarks at a public gathering.
Zille was speaking at a community dialogue hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Sub-Saharan Africa in Parkview, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, 31 July.
Gayton McKenzie slams Helen Zille
The politician did not pull any punches as she dissected the GNU "arrangement" at the community event, held under the theme, GNU and the Liberal Perspective — Foundations of a New(er) South Africa.
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Her choice of words — including labelling it as an ANC-DA coalition — spurred Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to fashion a sharp, unsolicited response on Thursday.
This is after Zille said in part:
"So, from the beginning, Cyril Ramaphosa came up with this notion of a Government of National Unity (GNU) which he thought would be a better way of selling the concept of coalition to his party.
"Now, this, of course, is not a GNU because a GNU brings all parties together, which would have had to include the EFF and the MK Party."
Her utterances did not sit well with McKenzie, who lambasted his counterpart and labelled her as harbouring self-serving interests.
He also dared her to withdraw her party from the grand coalition.
Taking to his X account, he wrote:
"Withdraw, and we will still be standing as the GNU. Your inability to be part of anything whereby you don’t exclusively call the shots is senile."
His post garnered almost 155,000 views and 1800 likes while attracting 350 comments within its first two hours.
Expressive online users concur
It appeared most of the social media commentary erred to the side of Zille, with many concurring with her outline of what the GNU stood for.
Others slammed Zille, instead jibing at her. Briefly News scoured the comments for the most interesting reactions.
@Ubuntu__Bethu wrote:
"Be careful what you wish for, minister! If the DA withdraws, the government will be dissolved and you will no longer be a minister!!!"
@LeoCharles20326 said:
"Lol, beware, uncle, don’t anger Rakgadi. You [might] be back in the streets again."
@XUFFLER mentioned:
"She can’t leave. If she does, EFF or MK would have to step in and she wouldn’t want that to happen."
Mbuyiseni Ndlozi makes splash with confrontations and digs
In related news, Briefly News reported that Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament (MP) Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was a notable hit during the Debate on the Opening of Parliament Speech in Cape Town.
MPs debated President Cyril Ramaphosa's speech after he committed the new coalition government to growth, job creation, and poverty reduction.
Ndlozi impacted the proceedings as he sneakily quizzed his peers, notwithstanding taking sleights at McKenzie, among others.
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Source: Briefly News
