‘I Was an Armed Robber, Not a Drug Dealer’: Gayton McKenzie Fires Back at Jermaine Prim Allegations

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has said that being a minister in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet “is not the beginning or the end for me.”

McKenzie spent a little over an hour on Sunday night addressing allegations arising from eNCA’s interview with inmate Jermaine Prim.

The Denial

McKenzie said he had never met Prim and rejected claims that the two had any relationship.

“I’ve never met him. I’ve never seen him… I ask that we must do a lie detector test. Me and him. And we must be asked if we ever met, and do I sell drugs or whatever?”

‘Not a Drug Dealer’

McKenzie was aggrieved by the allegation that he has ties to the drug trade.

“You can accuse me of many things, not drugs… When do I sell the drugs? Who outside can say I deal with them? There must be dealers outside.”

“A person who has been in jail from 2013, or however long, knows what’s happening outside, and says I’m a drug dealer? I have never, even when I was rubbish; I never involved myself in this thing of drugs. I hate drugs with all my heart. “

“Accuse me of anything, don’t accuse me of that. I was an armed robber. I robbed banks. I robbed institutions.”

The Timeline

McKenzie said the allegations are not new and have been around since 2002/2003.

He also explained that Prim’s claim of funding the PA makes no sense, as the timeline does not sync up.

“There was no PA in 2012. PA came in 2013, and I think he went to jail around 2012/2013. How can you fund something that is not there?”

The Bank Statements

McKenzie challenged Prim to produce bank statements.

“He says he’s got the bank statement to prove it. Why don’t you give the journalists the bank statements? I can’t deny bank statements. Because if he comes with a bank statement, they can check my accounts, and if it corresponds, then I’m guilty.”

‘PA Is Not an ANC Party’

McKenzie also addressed the allegation that the PA was started by the ANC.

He recalled how they got seats in Nelson Mandela Bay and Ekurhuleni in the 2016 elections, and how President Jacob Zuma and Jessie Duarte had been communicating with him over coalitions.

“I said no to the president of the country, but if this was their party, why would I say no to him? Why would we make (Athol) Trollip the mayor?”

‘PA Is Not a Coloured Party’

McKenzie denied the allegation that the PA is a coloured party, listing top officials such as Kenny Kunene and Steve Motale as examples.

Legal Action

McKenzie said he would pursue legal action against multiple parties, including the Minister of Correctional Services, the National Commissioner of Correctional Services, journalist Heidi Giokos, her editor, and eNCA.

“We are suing them.”

The Bottom Line

“I was an armed robber. I robbed banks. I robbed institutions. I never involved myself in things of drugs.”

McKenzie says he’s ready for a lie detector test. He wants bank statements. He’s suing the media.

The allegations are old, he says. But his response is newand fierce.