The PA denied that McKenzie made threats against any of the MPs at the ad hoc committee
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaha, says his party will write to the speaker of parliament to demand protection for Dereleen James, an MP that is part of the ad hoc committee’s investigations into the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
This comes after Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie allegedly made a threat on Facebook Live over the weekend against James and another MP who serves on the ad hoc committee.
McKenzie denies being involved with cartels
McKenzie’s remarks come after a letter presented as evidence at the ad hoc committee suggested that the PA leader could be involved with drug cartels. He denied this, saying that he is a legitimate businessman and would not involve himself with drugs. He also expressed disappointment in Mkhwanazi, who brought the letter to parliament.
“Let Dereleen and Kurt have a good time with my name, a very good time. Let them have a good time with my name, its okay, the path is long. I am 24-7 with security, outside my house now there is security, so I want to put it out now, you see I do not come sideways. I know who is behind Kurt. It’s fire.
“Enjoy my name, do what what you want to do… I do not know Cat Matlala, I have never met Cat Matlala. I do not know KT [Molefe], I don’t remember his surname, I do not know these people,” he said.
James has asked tough questions in the ad hoc committee and has become known as one of the most engaging MPs in the committee.
It is unclear who the other person McKenzie mentioned is.
Mashaba vs McKenzie
Mashaba told The Citizen on Monday that James’ security is under threat.
“We will write to the speaker of parliament so that she does a risk security assessment since James has been doing her work as part of the ad hoc committee investigating claims of corruption. What did the minister mean in his comments that is a threat,” he said.
Mashaba said the party will also lay intimidation charges against McKenzie.
“His behaviour is unbecoming of a minister and I cannot believe that he would make such utterances. Those comments that James made were made during parliamentary processes and she had the right to ask questions,” he said.
Mashaba said ActionSA is “very concerned” about Jame’s safety.
“If anything happens to Dereleen between now and then, the police must go ask the minister,” he said.
PA responds to intimidation claims
Meanwhile, PA spokesperson Steve Motale told The Citizen that the party has noted Mashaba’s intention to open a criminal case against McKenzie but denied that the PA leader made threats against James or any other member of the ad hoc committee.
He said Mashaba is wasting the police’s time on this matter and described the entire issue as “attention seeking”.
“They could not produce evidence. It is a cheap attention seeking stunt by Mashaba,” he said.
EFF slams Mkhwanazi
Meanwhile, McKenzie is not the only politician who is aggrieved by things said about them at the ad hoc committee and the Madlanga commission. EFF leader Julius Malema has also slammed Mkhwanazi for implicating him in a suspicious relationship with General Sharadrack Sibiya.
Malema told his followers on the weekend that he is not afraid of Mkhwanazi and any allegations that he has made against himself.
“He must never think he can blackmail or threaten anyone, we are not scared of policemen. When we joined the struggle, we were taught not to be afraid of a policeman. We have not done that when we were young, we are not going to do it when we are old,” he said.
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