465:, which gained widespread attention. In the letter and in subsequent interviews, McKenzie referred to Malema as the "biggest threat facing South Africa". This was based partly on the EFF's policies on land expropriation and nationalisation. The primary criticism, however, was focused on the character of Malema himself, whom he accused of not being a real revolutionary, a "false prophet" whose promises would take South Africa to civil war and someone who had "stolen" significant amounts of public money during his political ascent. Malema dismissed the letter as predictable rhetoric prior to an election.
468:
In 2024 Gayton McKenzie was appointed to the position of
Minister of Sports, Art and Culture. He promptly pledged his ministerial salary to be donated to a charity that works to recover missing children. Controversially, the charity, The Joslin Smith Foundation, was founded by McKenzie himself only a
486:
mayor, Gayton McKenzie raised R3 million for service delivery at a gala dinner fundraising event in
Sandton. The money was never deposited into the municipality's bank accounts. In 2023, Eugene Botha, national head of legal affairs for the Patriotic Alliance and in whose bank account the money was
681:"COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF CORRUPTION, MALADMINISTRATION, VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATION INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES APPOINTED BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA IN TERMS OF PROCLAMATION NO. 135 OF 2001, AS AMENDED"
453:
on 30 November 2013, and became the party's first president. McKenzie, along with long-time friend Kenny Kunene, have become known for using open letters to provoke political debate, cause controversy and attract attention. Kunene left the
410:
political party. He came to prominence in the early 2000s for his role in a prison exposé that eventually led to his early release amid an investigation of prison corruption by the Jali
Commission of Inquiry. McKenzie grew up in the
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investigation that
Adetshina's birth was allegedly registered fraudulently in South Africa, a matter the government intended to prosecute, and she then withdrew from the competition.
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ordered that McKenzie and the law firm linked to Botha, Botha E & Erasmus Y Inc, hand over relevant documents to investigators looking into allegations of corruption.
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At the end of April 2014, just more than a week before the elections of 7 May, McKenzie wrote a highly critical open letter to
Economic Freedom Fighters president
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402:
After spending eight years in jail from age 21 for armed robbery, McKenzie became a businessman, motivational speaker, author and former
Executive Mayor of the
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McKenzie used his story of changing from a life of crime in South Africa to attaining success as a businessman as the basis for his motivational talks.
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Many of his books have been bestsellers in South Africa, detailing his life of crime and subsequent return to society, his politics, and advocacy work.
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gang boss who was jailed for robbery for 17 years, has been alleged to have links to gang members as party leader of the
Patriotic Alliance.
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407:
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gangster
Jermaine Prim from a medium-security to a maximum-security facility; a move described as part of a gang war. In 2024, a
430:
He has gone on to work as a consultant in the mining industry and runs a diversified business with interests in several sectors.
396:
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later found, said that the money would be treated as a donation to the
Patriotic Alliance and declared to the IEC. In 2024, the
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637:"Road to Local Elections: What do a gangster, a pastor and sushi have in common? The Patriotic Alliance"
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gang boss
William “Red” Stevens; McKenzie denied the claims made in an audio recording by a councillor.
823:
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1327:
712:"Patriotic Alliance's Gayton McKenzie accused of lies, deceit by residents of his former home town"
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ex-convict, businessman, author, motivational speaker and politician who is currently serving as
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538:, who has immigrant parents, to contest the Miss South Africa contest. It later emerged from a
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1010:"Gayton McKenzie pledges to donate 100% of ministerial salary to his Joshlin Smith Foundation"
749:"Gold Fields response to Carte Blanche report on BEE deal - About Politicsweb | Politicsweb"
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79:
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1118:"McKenzie's millions: The lawyer, the R3m Karoo cash and the PA-linked trust account"
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1061:"Pressure mounts on Central Karoo District over Gayton McKenzie's missing millions"
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1263:"Miss South Africa contestant withdraws after mother is accused of identity theft"
890:"A Hustler's Bible, the New Testament : Gayton McKenzie : 9780620750950"
1087:"'Missing' R3m from Gayton McKenzie fundraiser at centre of latest DA, PA strife"
17:
1188:"'Only I can take on drug lords and mafias': Former gang boss Gayton McKenzie"
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shortly after its formation before helping to launch the Patriotic Alliance.
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investigation alleged McKenzie's party is funded by the daughter of slain
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1203:"Recording alleges that gangsters, drugs fund the Patriotic Alliance"
1144:"Gayton McKenzie ordered to hand over documents for corruption probe"
663:"Thug to Thug - Gayton McKenzie's harsh open letter to Julius Malema"
560:"Gayton McKenzie Biography, Age, Wife, Education, Career, Net Worth"
991:"Gayton McKenzie's Profile on the South African Government Website"
1229:"Miss South Africa contestant faces backlash over Nigerian father"
611:"Jail rape melted the ice in brutal gangster's heart"
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506:In 2022, McKenzie was involved in the transfer of
526:In 2024, McKenzie was criticised for his alleged
499:Gayton McKenzie, a convicted former criminal and
585:"Gayton McKenzie: I robbed a bank before age 16"
689:Government Communication and Information System
99:Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
1338:Patriotic Alliance (South Africa) politicians
949:
947:
8:
1297:"Chidimma Adetshina withdraws from Miss SA"
955:"Hard-hitting open letter to Julius Malema"
31:
534:comments when he questioned the right of
27:South African politician and businessman
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47:Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture
7:
850:"Gayton McKenzie launches 'Trapped'"
799:"A Hustlers Bible - Exclusive Books"
393:Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
179:7 April 2022 – 14 June 2024
484:Central Karoo District Municipality
404:Central Karoo District Municipality
142:11 April 2022 – 2 May 2023
130:Central Karoo District Municipality
876:"Kill Zuma By Any Means Necessary"
406:. He is also the president of the
25:
1261:Savage, Rachel (8 August 2024).
1227:Savage, Rachel (1 August 2024).
973:"Malema responds to open letter"
635:Dolley, Caryn (30 August 2021).
1295:Maako, Compiled by Keitumetse.
1201:Koko, Khaya (12 January 2024).
916:"Kenny Kunene's letter to Zuma"
333:
1:
1343:South African businesspeople
1085:Payne, Suné (29 June 2023).
397:Government of National Unity
167:Laingsburg Municipal Council
1174:"Gang links to new parties"
1142:Payne, Suné (4 June 2024).
1364:
540:Department of Home Affairs
387:(born 10 March 1974) is a
824:"The Uncomfortable Truth"
456:Economic Freedom Fighters
378:
314:African National Congress
253:
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208:
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135:
115:
104:
63:
52:
41:
1348:South African Christians
934:"Kenny Kunene quits EFF"
803:www.exclusivebooks.co.za
399:(GNU) since July 2024.
1207:The Mail & Guardian
489:Western Cape High Court
128:Executive Mayor of the
894:www.bookdepository.com
738:Retrieved 6 April 2017
446:McKenzie launched the
753:www.politicsweb.co.za
365:motivational speaker
1008:Solomons, Lisalee.
591:. 11 September 2017
512:Mail & Guardian
423:Business activities
874:McKenzie, Gayton.
848:Pantsi, Nandipha.
710:Khumalo, Juniour.
661:McKenzie, Gayton.
536:Chidimma Adetshina
478:Alleged corruption
448:Patriotic Alliance
408:Patriotic Alliance
301:Patriotic Alliance
202:Patriotic Alliance
196:Patriotic Alliance
1116:Karrim, Azarrah.
1097:on 18 August 2023
1059:Charles, Marvin.
828:www.goodreads.com
778:www.goodreads.com
735:The Citizen 2017
522:Miss South Africa
469:few weeks prior.
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326:Nicolette Joubert
287:Orange Free State
194:President of the
16:(Redirected from
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1150:. Archived from
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227:15 November 2013
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18:Gayton Mackenzie
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451:political party
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385:Gayton McKenzie
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336: 2003)
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308:Other political
297:Political party
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267:Gayton McKenzie
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200:Founder of the
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641:Daily Maverick
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508:Eldorado Park
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473:Controversies
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463:Julius Malema
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316:(before 2013)
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277:10 March 1974
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1304:. Retrieved
1300:
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1278:. Retrieved
1267:The Guardian
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1244:. Retrieved
1233:The Guardian
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1210:. Retrieved
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1156:. Retrieved
1152:the original
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1095:the original
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938:Sowetan LIVE
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802:
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777:
774:"The Choice"
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532:Anti-African
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417:Bloemfontein
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310:affiliations
291:South Africa
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236:Kenny Kunene
221:
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123:14 June 2024
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1328:1974 births
1039:www.msn.com
854:The Citizen
359:Businessman
243:Preceded by
185:Preceded by
156:Preceded by
87:Preceded by
71:3 July 2024
1322:Categories
721:21 January
667:Times LIVE
646:21 January
620:21 January
595:21 January
589:Power 98.7
564:City Media
546:References
528:xenophobic
434:Publishing
362:politician
353:Occupation
340:(divorced)
273:1974-03-10
92:Zizi Kodwa
1306:19 August
1280:19 August
1275:0261-3077
1241:0261-3077
899:2 October
859:2 October
833:2 October
808:2 October
783:2 October
758:2 October
615:TimesLIVE
495:Gang ties
212:Incumbent
175:In office
138:In office
108:Incumbent
76:President
56:Incumbent
1246:5 August
442:Politics
413:Heidedal
371:activist
345:Children
283:Heidedal
1044:14 July
1019:14 July
395:in the
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330:
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1212:5 July
1158:4 July
1127:4 July
1122:News24
1101:4 July
1070:4 July
1065:News24
1014:News24
995:Gov.za
977:News24
959:News24
716:News24
695:5 June
368:author
321:Spouse
232:Deputy
147:Deputy
1035:"MSN"
684:(PDF)
569:8 May
332:(
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1308:2024
1301:Life
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1271:ISSN
1248:2024
1237:ISSN
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1021:2024
901:2017
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723:2022
697:2024
648:2022
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530:and
263:Born
920:IOL
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