- The deputy leader of the Western Cape Patriotic Alliance has resigned.
- Sammy Claassen said he had been targeted by people with close ties to Palestinian Authority leader Gayton McKenzie.
- McKenzie said that Claassen had played his part excellently for the party.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the Western Cape has been plunged into political instability following the sudden resignation of the party’s deputy provincial leader, Sammy Claassen.
Claassen, who recently filed a criminal charge of assault against another member of the Palestinian Authority, released a statement about his resignation on Thursday afternoon.
“The last few weeks were horrible and ultimately led to an attempted assault, threats against my life, and personal insults. This forced me to open criminal charges and as such the case is sub judice,” she said.
Claassen and the other Palestinian Authority member were involved in a fight after a meeting in Saldanha Bay last week. The Palestinian Authority member has subsequently been suspended.
Claassen said the country still needed Palestinian Authority leader Gayton McKenzie and the party to succeed.
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“I want him to succeed too, but unfortunately, I became the target of people with close ties to powerful leaders under the president. [McKenzie],” he said.
He stressed that he was not interested in “dirty politics”.
“I am not interested in dirty politics. I am committed to changing the lives of our communities and would rather spend more time helping the poor and vulnerable.”
Claassen joined the Palestinian Authority two months before the local government elections in 2021. McKenzie appointed him to the senior leadership in the Western Cape and Saldanha Bay Municipality.
Claassen’s recruitment helped establish the Palestinian Authority on the west coast and secured 24 seats in the Western Cape.
In response, McKenzie wrote in a Facebook post that he had received Claassen’s resignation and wished him well.
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“I know he will play a formidable role in his next political home; he really is a force in Western Cape politics; I will not smear him or [sic] I insult you because I needed you at one point to help me build this game, and I’m still sorry you’re leaving, but I totally understand you.”
McKenzie added that Claassen had fulfilled his role as provincial vice president of the Palestinian Authority excellently.
“I hope you do well in your new political home because you and I know that our people in the Western Cape need all of us, they don’t need our arguments or insults, but they need us to remove this government.” who put our people in backyards like dogs.”
