Johnathan Paoli
Patriotic Alliance Leader, Gayton McKenzie, has apologised following the low turnout and lack of refreshments at the party’s 10th Birthday rally held in Orlando Stadium, Soweto on Saturday.
Supporters were forced to scramble for water after spending hours waiting for McKenzie to address them for the party’s 10th year anniversary celebrations on Saturday.
The event, which saw fewer than 5 000 PA supporters and was meant to start at 1pm, only got under way after 5pm, with many of the supporters complaining of hunger and dehydration after spending hours waiting for McKenzie to address them.
In a media briefing last week, the party leader boasted a rally that would match the EFF’s rally earlier this year.
“They think we are a small party, but on Saturday, we will show them what a small party is,” McKenzie said.
However, the PA leader has expressed his sadness and blamed logistical and bad management as the source of the party’s disappointing turnout and handling of the rally.
“I am sad for all of you and understand the anger and disappointment. We have had 20 000 people, according to JOC, that entered the stadium but due to food, drink and logistics, they left to get food and were prevented from returning back to the stadium,” he said.
McKenzie said despite the let down, it remained important to focus on the by-election scheduled for later this week as well as learning from their mistakes and then stage another event properly representing and celebrating the party’s decade of existence.
“The birthday of this glorious party cannot be what we did. We will have our real birthday party within 90 days. I have nothing but gratitude for those that stood and braced the hunger and heat. I have no words, I only have tears of gratitude,” the PA leader said.
In addition, during his address the party leader expressed his party’s extreme anti-illegal immigration position and said that no illegal foreign nationals were welcome.
“We don’t want illegal foreigners here. After the Patriotic Alliance has been sworn in, I’m going straight to Rahima Moosa Hospital where I am going to switch off the oxygen of illegal foreigners,” McKenzie said.
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