Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader, Gayton McKenzie speaks during an interview at Table Bay Hotel on 10 February 2023 in Cape Town. Picture: Gallo Images/Rapport/Edrea du Toit
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has resigned as mayor of Central Karoo District municipality in the Western Cape.
McKenzie decided to vacate the mayoral position after promising that he would only serve for a year in office.
“The marking of that year has moved today,” McKenzie said in a statement on Tuesday.
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The PA leader will now start his party’s campaign trail ahead of the 2024 government elections.
“I am also grateful for seeing opportunities here while others saw delay and disuse. This can-do attitude is what we need throughout the country, which is why I am leaving the Karoo to focus on the greater challenge before us all of fixing our beloved country,” he said.
Among other things, the former mayor said his proudest achievements included repairing five of six communal pools and providing potable water from taps in their yards for the people of Leeu Gamka after they had been drinking dirty water from asbestos tanks contaminated by dead animals.
“The most pertinent question every politician should answer at the end of then term is, are the people better off than I found them I believe my answer is a resounding yes.
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“I found my people using bucket toilets for decades; today no-one is using bucket toilets. People used the veld and today they are using flushing toilets.
“Our children in those areas were not going to swim at the height of summer, but under my leadership five of those pools are working and the children swam and will swim again this year and in time to come,” he said.
A farewell event was hosted over the weekend at Rustdene Stadium to celebrate McKenzie’s tenure as mayor, with artist Dr. Malinga, DJ Cleo and Master KG performing.