Leaders of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and its members took matters into their own hands and sent back hundreds of foreigners who were trying to cross a river from Zimbabwe into SA 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 had intercepted close to 1,000 Zimbabweans crossing the river to reach SA.
“The bad news is that we do not have a border. We are already in a borderless SA,” McKenzie said.
“The Patriotic Alliance members have been camping here, making sure they do not return from Zimbabwe.”
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 are the police? Where [are] the traffic officials? Where is the SANDF?”
McKenzie said farmers had been fighting with party members, asking them why they were there.
“One farmer insisted on taking us to court. I said I saw he was 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 could come into SA, kill someone and casually stroll back to Zimbabwe.
He thanked PA members for giving up their holiday time to come and stop foreigners from entering the country illegally. — TimesLIVE