'It’s not a political stunt': Kenny Kunene on Gayton McKenzie pledging to work for free as mayor

Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene says leader Gayton McKenzie pledging to work for free as mayor of the Central Karoo district municipality is not a political stunt.

The party's leader this week pledged to donate his salary of about R1.4m a year.

McKenzie was elected unopposed and told residents his services would not cost them or the municipality.

“I will donate 100% of my salary, I don’t want mayoral cars. They should be sold and ambulances bought. I came with my own bodyguards paid by me. The police should go do police work. I will not claim a cent for petrol or flights. The taxpayer looked after me in jail. I am free now,” he tweeted on Tuesday morning,”

Speaking on Cape Talk, Kunene said the move is not a political stunt, but a humanitarian move.

He said McKenzie is not a politician, but a community activist and businessman.

“He’s not doing that as a political stunt, he’s doing it out of the understanding that the district is financially in distress. He is there to help to get it out of that distress.

“There’s no populism in that and he means that. And that can be followed up because you can go to accounts and ask: 'Has he taken a salary? Has the money gone into his account? Where is his salary going?' You will see his salary is not going to him. You will see he will never have a petrol card. You will see he is using his own vehicles.”

Kunene also told eNCA McKenzie would hit the ground running to ensure better lives for the residents in the district.

“We are prepared to take the bull by the horns. The mayor has chosen a district that is the worst performing, the smallest and with the smallest budget in the country to prove himself as a leader and for Patriotic Alliance to prove that we can bring change.”

McKenzie's 100-day plan, which would be announced soon, would put job creation and economic stimulation high on the agenda.

“We cannot allow our people to be jobless, we cannot allow a district with such a rich history not to develop because we are worried about who will oppose the plan,” he said.