The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has disbanded its structures in Limpopo, Free State, North West, Mpumalanga and KZN.
The party has retained its structures in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and the Western Cape.
The party says the decision was taken following a meeting to evaluate the party’s performance in the provinces during the recent national and provincial elections.
The PA secured 2.06% of the votes nationally, placing them as the sixth biggest political party in the country.
In the Free State, the party garnered 1.43% of votes, 0.22% in KZN, 0.28% in Mpumalanga, 0.18% in Limpopo and 0.91% in the North West.
PA President, Gayton McKenzie, says all their premier candidates in all nine provinces were given credit cards, buses and petrol cards but some misused those funds.
He says it was heartbreaking to see his leaders steal from the party.
“These people were inflating invoices. They had maximum support, they got posters, T-shirts, buses, food, credit cards but they couldn’t even deliver one seat.”
He slammed his leaders for taking voters for granted, adding that they can’t be in politics and not love people.
“When you take this post as a leader, you belong to the people.”
McKenzie has attributed the poor election results as a result of the factional battles within the provincial structures.
He says the party’s NEC will decide on the restructuring in those provinces and appoint leaders that will take them to the 2026 local government elections.
The party has expressed its keen interest in being part of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
McKenzie has, however, made it clear that they are not desperate and won’t enter into a coalition if there’s nothing for the people.
He says they are waiting for the ANC top brass to decide on what they want to offer the PA.
McKenzie added that if parties such as the DA and EFF could have put their differences aside, they would have managed to unseat the ANC.
Reports have surfaced that the party is eyeing the home affairs portfolio.
Written by: Lindiwe Mpanza
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