By John Ikani
A former convict who was recently appointed as Mayor of a South African municipality has pledged to give up his salary and other trappings of the office.
In his inauguration speech, Gayton McKenzie of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) Party said nothing from Central Karoo District would be spent on him during his tenure.
“I came here to come and give. That is why I will donate 100% of my salary. While the enemy is busy checking which land they can build, I’m going to give 100% to start fixing the pools for our children.”
The PA leader, with the gold mayoral chains draped around his neck, was applauded.
“I will not have a mayoral vehicle,” McKenzie continued.
“The mayoral vehicle must be sold and an ambulance must be bought with the funds.
“I will not claim for any petrol or expenses. I want to cost this municipality nothing,” he said, adding he also did not want bodyguards.
McKenzie said even the food eaten at his inauguration had not cost the municipality a cent because he had paid for everything from his personal funds.
The new Mayor confirmed his pledge with a tweet on Tuesday, that added that “taxpayers looked after me in jail, I’m free now.”
I will donate 100% of my salary, I don’t want Mayorol cars, it should be sold and ambulances bought, I came with my own bodyguards paid by me, the police should go do police work. I will never claim a cent in petrol or flights. The taxpayer looked after me in jail, I am free now
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) April 12, 2022
He also promised to intensify the fight against illegal immigration.
McKenzie served seven years of a 15-year sentence for armed robbery after being arrested in 1996. He was released from prison in 2003.
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