PA leader McKenzie leads drive to stem illegal entry into SA by foreigners

Leaders of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and its members took matters into their own hands  as they sent back hundreds of foreign nationals who were trying to cross a river from Zimbabwe into South Africa near the Beitbridge border post this week. 

PA leader Gayton McKenzie and his deputy Kenny Kunene posted a number of videos of their activities on social media. 

“Abahambe [They must go],” McKenzie told eNCA on Thursday at the river banks of Musina, where the operation was being held.  He claimed his party’s members have intercepted close to 1,000 Zimbabwean nationals crossing the river to reach South Africa. 

“The bad news is that we do not have a border. We are already in a borderless South Africa. The Patriotic Alliance members have been camping here, making sure they do not return from Zimbabwe,” McKenzie said.

In one of the videos shared, scores of people were seen across the riverbank, some carrying small boats on their heads. 

McKenzie said they had intercepted people with illicit cigarettes, dynamite and unlicensed firearms.  

“This is a mafia syndicate consisting of the police, the SANDF, local farmers and traffic officials We have been here for days. Where is the police? Where [are] the traffic officials? Where is the SANDF?” 

McKenzie said farmers have been fighting with their members asking them why they were there. 

“One farmer insisted on taking us to court, I said I see he is taking water from the river and asked him to show his water use licence. He disappeared.” 

In a post on X, McKenzie said an illegal foreigner can come into South Africa, kill someone and casually stroll back to Zimbabwe. He thanked PA members for giving up their holiday time to come and stop foreign nationals from entering the country illegally.

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