WATCH | McKenzie warns Jacobs: ‘Leave PA out of your mouth’

Cape Town – Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has wished former party member Liam Jacobs well following his return to the Democratic Alliance (DA), but warned him against speaking negatively about the PA.

Speaking during a Facebook livestream on Monday, McKenzie said: “Los die PA uit jou mond” (Leave the PA out of your mouth), reacting to Jacobs’ decision to rejoin the DA less than a year after leaving it for the PA.

Jacobs, who has returned to the DA as a consultant, said he had been “misled by lies” in the PA and described joining the party as a mistake.

He accused the PA of having sold out its voters to the ANC and criticised its internal culture, claiming it lacked democracy, accountability and proper policy structures.

‘They will never trust you’

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed Jacobs back, saying his return showed the kind of party the DA is building. Hill-Lewis said Jacobs left the PA after seeing firsthand that it “never delivers on promises” and had chosen to “correct course and recommit” to building a better South Africa.

McKenzie, however, said Jacobs struggled to adapt to the PA’s grassroots culture. While acknowledging his talent, he argued that Jacobs “didn’t work the ground” and failed to connect with the party’s core support base. He added that he had warned Jacobs the DA would seek to recruit him again, saying: “They will never trust you, like we will never trust you.”

The PA leader also cautioned Jacobs against attacking the party publicly, saying: “For me, because I really have a soft spot for you, los die PA se naam (leave the PA’s name)… Los die PA and don’t lie about us.”

Despite expressing disappointment over Jacobs’ departure, McKenzie ended on a conciliatory note, saying: “You are not our enemy. You cannot be our enemy. Don’t try to be our enemy. Bamba yourself, ma se kind.”