'Blatant lie': Analyst hits back at Gayton McKenzie over Cape Town Muslim voters

PA leader Gayton McKenzie has been challenged over his claims about Cape Town’s Muslim voters.

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie is facing criticism for suggesting that Cape Town's Muslim community turned its back on the Palestinian cause by supporting the DA in the local government elections.

Political analyst Fazlin Taliep has challenged his claims, describing them as a 'blatant lie' and pointing to Al Jama-ah's performance in Rylands, which McKenzie specifically singled out when questioning Muslim voters.

In a video statement, Taliep described McKenzie's claims as a “blatant lie”, pointing to IEC results showing that Al Jama-ah secured significant support in Rylands, a suburb with a large Muslim population.

McKenzie made the remarks to media at the IEC’s national results operation centre in Gauteng, claiming Muslim people in Cape Town criticised his position on Israel and Palestine but continued voting for what he described as a “Zionist party”.

“Why are the Muslims in Cape Town voting for the DA, but during the day they shout ‘from the river to the sea’? Calling us Zionist parties. But they vote for a Zionist party,” he questioned.

When a reporter noted that Al Jama-ah performed better in Cape Town this cycle, McKenzie responded: “I love Al Jama-ah. They are truthful in what they stand for. Anybody who wants to come for me, go and check. Don’t go far; I am sending you to Rylands. So next time they must not come here and call us Zionists, but there in the voting booths they are voting for the same people they are complaining about.”

Political analyst Fazlin Fransman Taliep.

However, Taliep disputed the claim, saying the voting district results told a different story.

“You also have to understand that communities like Rylands, Lansdowne and Athlone are not ethnically homogeneous communities. It’s not just Muslims that live in those communities,” she said.

She argued it was misleading to assume every vote cast for the DA in those areas came from a Muslim voter, accusing McKenzie of attempting to divide the community.

“The data supports an idea that the Muslim community followed the guidance of our religious leaders and that they voted for justice,” she said.

Al Jama-ah received 54 948 votes across Cape Town. In Ward 46, covering Rylands, Gatesville and Surrey Estate, the party took second with 2 232 votes (27.4%), while the DA won the broader ward with 3 014 votes (37%).