Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie and mayoral hopeful Bradley Murray launched a campaign in Gqeberha, pledging to write off municipal debt for households and crack down on foreign-owned shops ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mayoral Hopeful Promises Debt Write-Offs Under R1-Million
Bradley Murray, a former Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral committee member responsible for roads and transport, vowed to eliminate municipal debt for properties valued at R1 million or less if the Patriotic Alliance takes control of the metro. Murray and McKenzie used the Monday evening gathering to outline their platform, focusing heavily on local economic relief and infrastructure management. McKenzie endorsed Murray as the ideal candidate to run City Hall, stating that Murray possesses the insight to recognize the administrative mistakes made by previous mayoral administrations.
Targeting Immigration and Foreign-Owned Businesses
The campaign places immigration enforcement and property ownership at the center of the Patriotic Alliance platform. Alongside debt relief, Murray promised a hardline crackdown on foreign-owned shops operating within the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.
Challenging Established Political Parties in Nelson Mandela Bay
During the manifesto launch, McKenzie criticized both the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance for failing to improve the living conditions of residents during their respective terms in office. McKenzie asked voters to shift their political support, telling the crowd that residents had given decades of governance to the major parties without seeing meaningful change. “We’re not asking for 30 years that you gave the ANC. We’re not asking for 20 years that you gave the DA. We’re asking for five years,” McKenzie said.
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