DURBAN - PATRICIA De Lille’s sister Cynthia Jeffreys has dumped the Good party and joined Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance.
Jeffreys was one of the 50 members who defected to the Patriotic Alliance on Monday in Cape Town, where they were welcomed by McKenzie himself.
Speaking to the Daily News after the event, an excited McKenzie said he meant business when he announced during his Newzroom Afrika interview last week that he was on a mission to take over Cape Town from the DA.
He said the defections to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) signalled the start of that mission.
“We are not playing, we are on a mission to run Cape Town and other municipalities. Our message is clear, coloured and black people have been neglected for so many years and now it is their time to take over from the politicians through the PA. These politicians have nothing for coloured and black people.”
“The only achievement they can claim was to divide coloured and black people. The National Party ruled us for 47 years, but black and coloured people are saying the 27 years we have given these politicians, it’s enough so they must go,” said McKenzie.
He said he would visit Durban next week to welcome new members from other political parties.
Jeffreys said she loved her sister but wanted to be her own person and move on with her life.
“I have worked with my sister when she founded Independent Democrats, then we moved to the DA together. We started Good together but I felt I was always overlooked for positions just because I am family a member. I have been a volunteer but unfortunately loyalty does not pay bills,” said Jeffreys.
De Lille hit back and said it was not true that her sister was not paid, and that she received a stipend.
“You know I fought for freedom in this country so I would not have a problem when my sister or anyone chooses the political party of his or her choice,” said De Lille.
Former Good party branch chairperson in ward 24 in Bishop Lavis, John Siljeur told the Daily News that he and other party members decided to join the PA after realising that the Good party was no different from the DA.
He said the party leaders were concerned about positions and did not care about service delivery.
“Today it was 50 of us but watch this space. In a few days many Good members will follow us. We are now focusing on the upcoming local government electrons under the PA,” said Siljeur.
McKenzie’s party has drawn a lot of attention after the recent by-elections in Johannesburg, where the party won three wards.
In Eldorado Park, former DA councillor Peter Rafferty won the ward for the PA. In the 2016 local government elections the party won a seat in Johannesburg and one in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Daily News