On Friday, June 13th, Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament Liam Jacobs announced that he had joined the Patriotic Alliance (PA) during a Facebook Live session hosted by PA President and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie.
Jacobs, 24, used the live stream to declare his defection, appearing on screen after McKenzie briefly stepped away. “Come on, come on Patriots! Are the people still awake? We are here President, I think the people are shocked. These people are shocked!” he exclaimed. He later expressed that he felt “at home,” referring to McKenzie as a father figure.
Although Jacobs had not yet submitted a formal resignation to the DA, party officials confirmed that he had informed North West leader Joe Mcgluwa of his departure. The DA has not released an official statement.
Jacobs recently challenged McKenzie in a parliamentary committee meeting over the appointment of PA member Eugene Botha as chair of the National Arts Council, questioning a possible conflict of interest. McKenzie rejected the criticism, calling it a political attack.
In the days following their exchange, Jacobs stated that his earlier criticisms of the PA were shaped by internal DA strategy. “I have come home to the PA because what Gayton said hit me hard this week after our Portfolio Committee meeting. I knew I was being used,” he said.
The PA issued a press statement welcoming Jacobs, describing him as a rising political figure who had been “weaponised” by the DA. The party accused the DA of using prominent Coloured leaders to undermine the PA while failing to provide meaningful representation for Coloured South Africans, particularly in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Although Coloured voters, especially in the Western Cape, make up a significant portion of the DA’s support base, the party has not appointed any Coloured individuals to ministerial or deputy ministerial positions in the GNU. McKenzie and Jacobs, both Coloured, have pointed to this underrepresentation as evidence that the DA takes Coloured communities for granted.
Jacobs emphasized that he was not promised any position in exchange for joining the PA. He stated that he was simply given “the chance to be part of the fastest-growing party in South Africa.”
The PA hailed Jacobs’ defection as a symbol of broader political realignment. McKenzie expressed optimism for the future, calling Jacobs part of the “next generation” of PA leadership.
