Patriotic Alliance (PA)

Founded: 2013.

The Patriotic Alliance is a South African party founded in 2013 and led by Gayton McKenzie. Its 2024 election manifesto, the Turnaround Strategy, sets out six core pledges: placing God first, zero tolerance for illegal immigration, mandatory military or public service for unemployed youth, return of the death penalty, elevating royal and local leaders, and beneficiation of natural resources. The document also commits to a free-market economy with the state as regulator, the scrapping of BEE legislation, and strengthened traditional courts. Since 2024 the party has been part of the national unity government.

Official website: https://mypa.org.za/

Not yet reviewed by a human. These positions were placed by reading the sources below; each one links to the document it came from.

13 of 15 axes have a cited position. Axes without a published position are marked as such and are never scored.

Positions

Economy: state or market — +0.50

State-led: the state owns or directs key industries, sets prices and plans investment.Market-led: private ownership, deregulation, lower taxes and a smaller state.

Between the two poles

The PA supports and promotes the free market system. Too much government interference in the free movement of goods and services in any society often results in outcomes that are harmful to society.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , The free market (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Land reform and expropriation — +0.50

Expropriation without compensation and state custodianship of land.Strong property rights; redistribution only through willing-buyer/willing-seller and the courts.

Between the two poles

The PA will promote the productive use of land. If this does not happen, then that unproductive land should be bought by the state at market rates and sold or licensed to individuals or companies with more convincing plans for it.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Land (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

BEE and race-based redress — +1.25

Race-based redress expanded: BEE, employment equity and ownership targets enforced.Race-based redress phased out or replaced by non-racial, class-based or need-based measures.

Leaning towards: race-based redress phased out or replaced by non-racial, class-based or need-based measures.

Companies that are not sufficiently representative and diverse may be made to pay an “empowerment levy” into an empowerment fund to be established to represent the interests of all previously disadvantaged South Africans. ... The PA will therefore promote the progressive abolition of racial categories as official signifiers of identity in society.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Economic empowerment (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Labour market — +1.00

Strong worker protection: higher minimum wages, collective bargaining, limits on labour broking and dismissal.Flexible labour market: easier hiring and dismissal, fewer statutory protections, incentives for employers.

Leaning towards: flexible labour market: easier hiring and dismissal, fewer statutory protections, incentives for employers.

We shall drop the minimum wage requirement for businesses who have been in business for less than one year.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Unemployment and jobs (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Healthcare and NHI — +0.00

Universal public health care: a publicly funded and publicly provided National Health Insurance with a smaller private sector.Private provision: medical schemes and market competition carry most of the system, with a smaller public role.

Between the two poles

The PA is not opposed to developing a more comprehensive state healthcare system, but the state must first prove it is able to use the resources already allocated to it before demanding more.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Healthcare (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Education — +0.75

State-directed schooling: a central curriculum, expanded free public education and tighter regulation of independent schools.Parental choice: independent schools, charter-type models and market mechanisms in education.

Leaning towards: parental choice: independent schools, charter-type models and market mechanisms in education.

The PA would be willing to explore public-private partnerships in the education sector as affordable private schools have been found to produce good results. Private schools who do well can be subsidised by government, allowing them to either charge pupils much less or nothing at all.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Identifying the gifted, uplifting special needs (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Crime and policing — -1.75

Enforcement-first: more police and soldiers on the streets, harsher sentences, fewer procedural limits on the state.Prevention-first: community policing, restorative justice, and civil-liberties safeguards.

Enforcement-first: more police and soldiers on the streets, harsher sentences, fewer procedural limits on the state.

A PA government will reintroduce the death penalty in severe cases of murder where guilt has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Return of the death penalty (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Immigration — -2.00

Restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.Open: freer movement, rights for migrants, and regional integration.

Restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.

South Africa faces a migration crisis and illegal migrants must be mass deported. ... A person within South Africa's borders who did not cross the border legally is a criminal, and needs to be treated as such.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Zero tolerance for illegal immigration (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Energy and climate — +1.00

Rapid decarbonisation: coal phase-out, renewable generation and climate commitments prioritised.Energy security first: continued coal, gas or nuclear generation and a slower transition.

Leaning towards: energy security first: continued coal, gas or nuclear generation and a slower transition.

Renewable energy offers cost-effective new generating opportunities but the country also needs to commit to building modern, safe nuclear reactors to provide baseload power.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Electricity (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Federalism and devolution — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Traditional leadership — -1.50

Expanded role: traditional leaders hold formal powers over governance, land and customary law.Limited role: elected structures and individual constitutional rights take precedence over customary authority.

Expanded role: traditional leaders hold formal powers over governance, land and customary law.

The role of traditional courts should be strengthened, with resources invested in this, since this plays an important role in keeping order in rural areas according to traditional cultural practices.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Elevate royal and local leaders (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Social values — -0.50

Conservative: law reflects religious or traditional morality, with narrower reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.Liberal: secular law, with expanded gender, reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

Between the two poles

Recognising that almost 90% of South Africans are religious, it is irrational to maintain a completely secular state. The state must respect and make space for religious practices in state institutions.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , Holistic approach (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Foreign policy — +0.75

Non-aligned and Global South: closer ties with BRICS, Russia, China and Palestine, with distance from Western powers.Western-aligned: closer ties with the United States, the European Union and other liberal democracies.

Leaning towards: western-aligned: closer ties with the united states, the european union and other liberal democracies.

In 2023, during the Gaza war, McKenzie stated the party's solidarity with Israel.

Patriotic Alliance , Foreign policy (wikipedia; accessed 2026-10-18)

Anti-corruption and governance — -1.00

Expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.Smaller state machinery: fewer new bodies and regulations, with corruption handled through existing criminal law and the courts.

Leaning towards: expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.

Anyone suspected of corruption will be immediately removed from office and arrest proceedings will be commenced for those suspected of engaging in corrupt practices. There will be heavy fines and prison sentences for those involved in corruption.

Turnaround Strategy 2024 , A corruption-free government (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Local service delivery — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.