JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — Patriotic Alliance leader Kenny Kunene has unveiled a comprehensive vision for Johannesburg, pledging to resolve the city’s mounting infrastructure and financial crises if elected mayor in the upcoming local elections. Outlining his campaign priorities, Kunene emphasized the need for urgent intervention to address ageing water infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply, deteriorating roads, and a struggling public transport network.
Speaking to supporters, Kunene confidently projected his electoral success, repeatedly declaring, “On the 4th of November, I will be the mayor of Johannesburg.” He stated that the Patriotic Alliance (PA) intends to focus heavily on communities that have been neglected for far too long. His blueprint for the city includes reviewing municipal debt, strengthening law enforcement, reclaiming hijacked buildings, and cracking down on illegal immigration.
Addressing the city’s financial and resource drain, Kunene highlighted a critical imbalance in municipal utilities. “We are collecting less, but we are consuming more,” he explained, attributing the bleed directly to hijacked buildings, houses, and factories. He further asserted a bold stance on national utilities, claiming, “Eskom will forever own Rand Water.”
Kunene also defended his own administrative track record, making significant claims about his past performance in local government. “I have done more roads. I have fixed more potholes than any other MMC [Mayoral Committee Member] that has ever operated since democracy,” he stated, adding that he has stabilized his department and fostered a results-driven work ethic within the city’s transport sector.
The rally also featured sharp commentary from PA president Gayton McKenzie, who took the opportunity to direct fiery criticism at the Democratic Alliance’s Helen Zille.
“Helen Zille, I want to show you racism,” McKenzie declared, drawing a comparison between past political attacks and current ones. He noted that when former President Jacob Zuma was running for office, critics dismissed him as “too old,” yet now that the PA’s candidate is stepping forward, opponents are suddenly questioning their experience.
McKenzie’s remarks quickly turned personal regarding Zille’s age. “She must get her affairs in order because she’s near the graveyard. And that is the truth,” he said, suggesting she should instead spend her time with “age mates having fun playing soccer, keeping healthy, doing aerobics.” He punctuated the critique with a darkly humorous warning about the city’s road conditions: “I told my new driver today, ‘Don’t drive so fast. Helen Zille can pop out of a pothole right now, then I’m going to be charged for murder.’”
On the contentious issue of undocumented immigration, McKenzie echoed Kunene’s sentiments, arguing that the push to accommodate illegal foreigners is driven by elite interests. He claimed that those who advocate for undocumented immigrants to stay typically have private medical aid, secure housing, and send their children to private schools and hospitals. Therefore, they do not compete with local residents for public resources.
McKenzie alleged that there is “low-key racism involved” in the debate, asserting that certain captains of industry actively support the presence of undocumented foreigners to maintain a pool of cheap labor.
As the local government elections approach, the Patriotic Alliance maintains that it is fully prepared to serve the people of Johannesburg, positioning its leadership as the definitive solution to the city’s most pressing systemic challenges.