Gayton McKenzie boasts on Gupta TV channel that he can buy the Guptas

During a televised debate on Sunday night on Gupta-owned news channel ANN7, the channel appeared to be “debating” what should happen to ANC MPs who voted against President Jacob Zuma in the motion of no confidence that was taken by secret ballot on Tuesday.

However, all three participants, the Patriotic Alliance’s leader Gayton McKenzie, political commentator and former EFF member Kim Heller and ANC Youth League spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize were of the view that it had been wrong for ANC MPs to vote against Zuma. There was no one in studio to provide a contrary opinion.

Mkhize was all for discipline and getting rid of the MPs, while McKenzie argued they shouldn’t have been allowed to vote in the first place.

McKenzie was invited on the basis of a column he wrote for The Sunday Independent that questioned the motives of those calling for Zuma to go. He said he suspected they were being “handled” by forces looking to loot the South African government in the absence of Zuma.

However, he said that he was not saying this because he had been “captured” by the Gupta family.

“When you open your mouth, they say you’re captured. I’m rich, so how can you say I’m captured?

“I’m not even sure I like the Guptas. That’s why I came on this show because you cannot say the Guptas bought me. I can buy the Guptas.”

His comment appeared to evoke much reaction in the studio in Midrand. A number of people, presumably staff members, could be heard laughing loudly in the background despite being far from the microphones.

They had probably never dreamt that someone could say such a thing on ANN7.

“You cannot come here every time when we raise our issues and every time say it’s the Guptas. It is never the Wieses; it is never the Oppenheimers; it is never them.”

He argued that companies such as Bidvest had actually “captured” the South African state and that it was ridiculous to worry about the 1% of business that Eskom gave the Guptas.

“Who got the 99%? We are not children.”

He said it was time to tell the truth in South Africa.

“The ANC … they must deal with their people. But there’s a country to run. Every time it’s Zuma. Zuma must go, but they don’t say who must take over from Zuma.”

He questioned the funding behind the Zuma Must Fall campaign when there were, according to him, bigger problems in South Africa, such as poverty and unemployment.

McKenzie added that eight attempts to dislodge Zuma in no-confidence votes was simply suspicious and ridiculous.

“If it failed once, I could understand, but eight times?”

He claimed that Zuma had become the “bogeyman for non-delivery” and it was too easy to blame him. “I’m sure if a man cannot perform at home with his wife, he blames Zuma.”

McKenzie’s comments evoked some reaction on Twitter:

Gayton Mckenzie says he can capture the Guptas. He's rich. 😂😂😂. Ramaphosa under serge

— Tshwarelo (@TshwareloVilla) August 13, 2017

https://twitter.com/Ramoshebikodise/status/896771129565732864

Gayton McKenzie: "They even bringing in Zuma on matters of the bedroom, when a man can't get an erection, he blames Zuma" – 13 August 2017 pic.twitter.com/CFToZEd7i0

— Mweli Masilela (@mwelimasilela) August 13, 2017

Retweeted Gayton McKenzie (@G_XCON):

Bidvest has captured the State with assistance from some leaders in ANC top… https://t.co/IzAir43Kbi

— #IndluKaQqanana (@IndluKaGqanana) August 13, 2017