Cape Town – The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has announced that its deputy president, Kenny Kunene, will be its mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg in the 2026 local government elections.
The move has stirred controversy as Kunene is currently suspended from his party role while facing an internal investigation.
According to Eyewitness News, PA leader Gayton McKenzie revealed Kunene’s candidacy during a Facebook Live broadcast.
McKenzie praised Kunene’s track record as a councillor in Johannesburg, saying he had “done very good work in the City of Joburg” and insisted that the party wanted him to represent them.
McKenzie said that although the internal case against Kunene was ongoing, it was already “at an advanced stage” and the party was confident about moving forward with him as their candidate.
As reported by Mail & Guardian, the decision to field Kunene as a mayoral candidate had actually been made before his suspension.
Sources told the publication that the party’s national executive committee took the resolution earlier in the year, and despite his current disciplinary matter, the PA believed Kunene remained their strongest contender.
Kunene’s suspension stems from allegations linking him to Katiso “KT” Molefe, a man accused of having ties to criminal networks and implicated in the 2022 murder of musician Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka.
According to Central News, Kunene was present at Molefe’s Sandton property during a police raid. He has defended himself, claiming he was only accompanying a journalist who was trying to secure an interview with Molefe at the time.
Meanwhile, the PA has also made changes to its mayoral line-up in other metros. According to News24, Liam Jacobs, who was recently sworn in as a councillor in Johannesburg, will instead stand as the PA’s mayoral candidate for Cape Town.
McKenzie said that the party wanted to place strong leaders in strategic positions across the country.
The announcement has sparked debate within political circles.
Critics argue that fielding a candidate under investigation could damage the PA’s credibility, while supporters insist that Kunene remains innocent until proven otherwise and highlight his experience in governance.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
