ActionSA says it will pursue criminal intimidation charges against Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie after remarks he made about party MP Dereleen James during a Facebook Live broadcast.

Party leader Herman Mashaba said the comments were deeply concerning and accused McKenzie of using his taxpayer-funded security detail to intimidate a fellow public representative.

ActionSA Says Remarks Crossed the Line

Mashaba said the party was shocked by McKenzie’s comments and had already started consulting its legal team. He said James would be required to open a criminal case.

According to Mashaba, the issue started after James raised questions in Parliament about McKenzie’s international travel and the costs linked to those trips.

Mashaba said these were not rumours from “street corners” but matters raised through proper parliamentary oversight. He said ActionSA would not accept what it sees as threats against an MP doing her job.

Dispute Tied to Parliamentary Oversight

James has publicly questioned McKenzie’s response to parliamentary questions about more than 20 taxpayer-funded international trips.

She also raised questions during a committee meeting about Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene’s reported presence at the home of alleged criminal figure Katiso “KT” Molefe during an arrest.

Mashaba said those oversight questions appear to be at the centre of the growing political fallout.

McKenzie’s Security Comments Spark Backlash

During the Facebook Live, McKenzie said he has security around him at all times and told James to “watch herself”.

Mashaba said it was unacceptable for a minister to boast about 24-hour security funded by taxpayers while suggesting that another MP did not enjoy the same protection.

He added that ActionSA also wants James’s risk profile assessed in light of the remarks.

James reacted strongly on social media and asked whether the minister was threatening her. She said if anything happened to her or anyone close to her, South Africans should remember the exchange.

McKenzie Denies Making Threats

In a post that was later deleted, McKenzie denied threatening James. He said he does not threaten women and insisted her questions about travel costs and Kunene had nothing to do with his comments.

He also said he would deal with the matter legally.

The row has now moved beyond social media and into a possible criminal complaint, setting up another high-stakes political clash between ActionSA and the Patriotic Alliance.