Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Ian Landsberg/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
Johannesburg - The Patriotic Alliance (PA) said it was planning a massive march by several civil society groups and political parties to demand the mass deportation of illegal foreign nationals from South Africa.
In a video posted on social media, PA president Gayton McKenzie said the march would demonstrate that South Africans were tired of being put in the back seat in their own country. He said political parties that would like to be part of the march would be allowed to participate.
“I will lead the biggest march. I am still planning [to go] everywhere in South Africa. We are going to have one day. Next week I am giving the day. We are going to march to show our government that we have the numbers. The people that have been arranging marches have been playing jokes,” McKenzie said.
He said he was not pleased with South Africans becoming second-class citizens in their own country. According to McKenzie, should the PA come into power after next year’s national and provincial elections, the party would embark on mass deportations of illegal foreigners.
“After that, I will deport you; there will be a reward for you for bringing an illegal Bulgarian to Somalia. We are going to clean our townships and our suburbs and our farms; they are even working on the seas,” he said.
McKenzie said he was unapologetic about his stance on illegal foreigners. He said he represented the people of South Africa and their interests.
“I am a leader among South Africans. I am not a leader of Somalis, Zimbabweans, or whatever is here illegally and should go home. Just know that you should not vote for me if you want illegal foreigners to stay because that is not going to happen under my watch. The first thing I am going to do when I am in office is to bring God back,” he said.
McKenzie insisted that he was realistic about the situation faced by South Africans who were competing for work opportunities and other resources with illegal foreigners.
He said he would ensure that South Africans receive lifesaving medical care over illegal immigrants if he was asked to choose between a South African and an illegal immigrant.
“I will switch off the oxygen from an illegal foreigner if I become president; if they die, they die. I will give that oxygen to a South African like so many of you,” he said.
The PA said it supported the employment of South Africans in the trucking industry. The party said there was no need to hire foreign nationals when there are South Africans desperate for the same jobs.
Over the last few days, a number of trucks have been burnt in ongoing tensions between certain groups lobbying for the employment of South Africans in the trucking industry.
The Star