Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has publicly declared his deputy, Kenny Kunene, “innocent” and fully reinstated, following the conclusion of an independent investigation into his alleged links to a murder case.
The announcement came during a Facebook Live broadcast on Monday evening, where a visibly relieved McKenzie shared the findings of a probe conducted by the respected law firm, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. Kunene had been suspended in July after reports surfaced of his presence at the home of businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, a suspect in the 2022 killing of musician Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka.
“I knew he was innocent,” McKenzie stated, addressing his audience directly. He revealed that the firm’s extensive investigation, which included interviewing multiple parties, found that Kunene’s account of events was corroborated. “They say his story checks out. So the DP is innocent.”
McKenzie heaped praise on Kunene for what he described as “absolute leadership” during the suspension. He highlighted that Kunene voluntarily stepped down not only from his position as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) but also as a councillor when asked, and refrained from publicly criticising the party throughout the process.
“The DP is back,” McKenzie announced triumphantly. To facilitate Kunene’s renewed national role within the party, current councillor Liam Jacobs will resign and relocate to Cape Town to work full-time.
McKenzie concluded by emphasising his trust in the independent process and his delight at his “brother, friend, and co-leader” being cleared of any wrongdoing, effectively closing a challenging chapter for the party.
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