JOHANNESBURG - The Forum for South Africa (FOSA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
The call comes after convicted fraudster Jermaine Prim, alleged the the Patriotic Alliance leader, and some of his party members are proxies for drug cartel.
Prim submitted a sworn affidavit to Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee pleading for his story to be heard.
READ: ActionSA MP lays criminal case against Gayton McKenzie
Prim claimed he was moved to a high-security unit after alleging he had recordings linking McKenzie to drug dealers and money.
The party's Kenny Kunene denied the allegations, stating he and McKenzie were not involved in any drug activity.
In a January 2025 interview, McKenzie denied any relationship with Prim, saying he had never met him and only spoke to Prim telephonically.
Prim has been in prison for over eight years and will be sentenced on Monday.
"It is deeply alarming that a sitting Minister is alleged to have facilitated access to communication devices for an incarcerated individual," says spokesperson Tebogo Mashilompane.
READ: “We are not involved in drugs” - Kunene rejects claims against McKenzie
"This enabled campaign activities from within prison," he adds.
FOSA said this represents a blatant breach of correctional regulation, but a direct assault on the integrity of South Africa's justice system.
"No leader entrusted with public office should be associated with actions that undermine the very institutions meant to uphold the law," says Mashilompane.
FOSA has also condemned McKenzie's threat to ActionSA MP Dereleen James. James opened a case of intimidation against him after he went on a Facebook Live saying in Afrikaans "die pad is lank", which loosely translates "the road is long".
James said the Minister insinuated that she does not have security and therefore she felt threatened and exposed.
McKenzie denied the allegations and said he had referred a complaint on the allegations to Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
FOSA says McKenzie's conduct reflects recklessness, intimidatory and wholly unbecoming for a public representative.
"Such behaviour erodes public trust and reinforces a dangerous culture of impunity among those in power," says Mashilompane.
FOSA says the country cannot by led by people who behave like lawless actors while occupying the highest offices of government.
It is why the organisation is calling on the President to act and fire McKenzie from his cabinet.