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# Patriotic Alliance puts immigration, home ownership at heart of local election pitch
- URL: https://www.africaandbeyond.org/patriotic-alliance-puts-immigration-home-ownership-at-heart-of-local-election-pitch/
- Published: 2026-09-26T16:18:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-26T16:18:18.000Z
- Description: The party launched its manifesto in Bloemfontein with promises on undocumented migration, title deeds, municipal debt and service delivery ahead of South Africa’s November 4 local government elections.
- Author: Africa & Beyond News Correspondent

The Patriotic Alliance has made undocumented migration and access to property central themes of its local government election campaign, linking national immigration concerns to the enforcement powers of municipalities.

Party leader Gayton McKenzie launched the PA’s manifesto in Bloemfontein on Saturday, September 26, saying local authorities should do more to enforce municipal by-laws and regulate local business activity. SABC News reported that McKenzie argued municipalities could not ignore the effects that the party associates with undocumented migration. (sabcnews.com)

McKenzie acknowledged that immigration enforcement is primarily a national responsibility, referring to the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority and the police. The PA’s campaign position, as reported by SABC, is that municipalities nevertheless have a role in dealing with local consequences and enforcing rules within their jurisdictions. (sabcnews.com)

## Title deeds and municipal housing

The manifesto also promises to accelerate the transfer of title deeds to qualifying residents living in municipal housing. McKenzie said some families had occupied municipal houses or flats for decades without receiving formal ownership documents.

The proposal is aimed at residents in places including Heidenau, Rocklands and Parme, as well as qualifying beneficiaries elsewhere in the country. The available report does not set out the eligibility criteria, administrative timetable or funding arrangements for the proposed transfers. (sabcnews.com)

Formal title deeds can provide recognised proof of ownership, but the PA’s launch statement does not establish how many households would qualify or how quickly municipalities could process the outstanding claims. Those details will be important in assessing whether the pledge can move beyond a campaign commitment.

## Service delivery and debt promises

At the manifesto launch, the party also focused on sewage spills, failing infrastructure and unspent infrastructure funding in Mangaung and other municipalities. McKenzie alleged that sewage had entered the Masselspoort reservoir, which supplies water to parts of Bloemfontein. That allegation was presented by the PA and was not independently established in the available evidence.

The party further pledged to scrap municipal rates and tax debts for elderly residents if elected in the November 4 local government polls. McKenzie cited what he described as R146 million returned to the Treasury because it had not been spent, including R49 million intended for human settlements. The report does not independently verify those figures or explain the legal and budgetary mechanism for the proposed debt relief. (sabcnews.com)

The campaign now places the PA’s national anti-undocumented-migration message alongside municipal concerns over housing ownership, infrastructure and household debt. The next test will be whether the party provides detailed implementation plans, including how municipalities would identify beneficiaries, fund debt relief and address the service-delivery failures highlighted at the launch.

McKenzie’s current national government position is independently confirmed: the South African government lists him as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, appointed on July 3, 2024\. Parliament also identifies him as a Patriotic Alliance representative in the National Assembly. (gov.za)

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