Stevens is the daughter of William “Red” Stevens, a high-ranking “general” in the notorious 27s prison and street gang, who was active in Cape Town’s underworld. Red Stevens was gunned down in a targeted assassination on 2 February 2021 outside his home in Kraaifontein, northern Cape Town. At the time, he was out on R100,000 bail facing charges linked to organized crime, including the 2017 murder of businessman Brian “Steroid King” Wainstein.
According to reporting by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, Red Stevens had transformed aspects of the 27s into a more profit-oriented street operation. He was widely described in South African media as a reputed gangster and drug peddler involved in Cape Town’s gang networks. His nephew was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for dealing in mandrax (methaqualone) tablets worth nearly R1 million.
Meet Chinelle Stevens
— Crime Fighter (@Goolamx) April 3, 2026
The SECRETARY GENERAL of Patriotic Alliance and daughter of the Slain 27 gang leader Red Stevens who sold Mandrax and Crystal (tik) in Cape Town.
He is also the Funder and cofounder of the Patriotic Alliance. pic.twitter.com/0Xg5Svf50m
Allegations of Criminal Links and Party Funding
A January 2024 Mail & Guardian investigation reported on a voice recording of Juwairiya Kaldine, then a PA regional treasurer and City of Johannesburg councillor. In the recording, Kaldine allegedly claimed that Chinelle Stevens had taken over her father’s criminal operations after his death and used proceeds from them — including drug-related activities — to fund the Patriotic Alliance. Kaldine reportedly stated that she was taken by Stevens to meet drug runners to collect money for the party.
The article quotes context from the recording suggesting awareness within parts of the party leadership. These claims remain allegations and have not been proven in court.
Gayton McKenzie has strongly denied any involvement by the PA in drug money or gangster funding. He has described the recording as potentially doctored or fabricated and stated that the party is funded by legitimate businessmen with proper declarations to the Independent Electoral Commission. McKenzie has publicly acknowledged recruiting Red Stevens as a card-carrying PA member and delivering a eulogy at his funeral, noting their shared past as former prisoners and gangsters from years earlier. He has portrayed Chinelle Stevens as someone who distanced herself from that lifestyle, with no criminal record of her own (she previously worked as a teacher and school board chair).
The Patriotic Alliance has repeatedly rejected broader claims linking the party or its leadership to organized crime and drug-related income, calling such allegations politically motivated, especially around election periods. In recent months, similar claims have resurfaced in parliamentary hearings and media, prompting further denials and threats of legal action from the PA.
Context and Public Interest
The story of Chinelle Stevens highlights ongoing debates in South African politics about the intersection of gang culture, the prison Numbers gangs (like the 27s), and emerging parties seeking support in marginalized communities on the Cape Flats. Red Stevens’ killing was one of the highest-profile hits on a 27s figure in recent years and reportedly linked to rivalries involving figures from the 28s gang and “The Firm” network.
Stevens herself has been active in grassroots organizing for the PA, including community work and election campaigns. The party positions itself around issues like anti-corruption, opposition to illegal immigration, and protecting South African communities — themes that resonate in areas affected by gang violence and drugs like tik (crystal meth) and mandrax.
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