Patriotic Alliance Leader Gayton McKenzie Says He Will Switch a Foreigner's Oxygen Off To Save a South African
- Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie had tongues wagging over his comments about foreign nationals
- McKenzie stated during a television interview that he would switch off a foreign national's oxygen to save a South African's life
- Some South Africans were infuriated by McKenzie's remarks and even asked the Human Rights Commission to launch an investigation
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BEAUFORT WEST - Central Karoo District Mayor Gayton McKenzie has come under fire for his comments about saving South Africans over foreign nationals.
Source: Facebook
The Patriotic Alliance leader stated that he would much rather take oxygen supply from a foreigner to save the life of a South African. McKenzie made these eerie remarks during a television interview on Tuesday, 30 August.
McKenzie's comments come in the wake of Dr Phophi Ramathuba, MEC for Health in Limpopo's viral rant to a Zimbabwean patient who was awaiting surgery. Ramathuba berated the patient and stated that her department does not have the funds to accommodate foreigners in the public health sector.
When asked by an eNCA reporter if he would physically switch off the oxygen of a foreign national, McKenzie stated adamantly that he would because that is his duty.
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"No, I would do that. As a government official, I'm supposed to do that. If there is a South African and Zimbabwean or Mozambican on oxygen and here is a South African citizen born and bred in South Africa, I will turn it off as a leader. It is my duty," said McKenzie.
McKenzie argued that if a foreign leader did the same, he would not have a problem with it. The Progressive Health Forum convener Dr Aslam Dasoo has criticised both Ramathuba and McKenzie and stated that their comments can be seen as an incitement to murder, reports News24.
Dasoo added that criminal sanctions should be brought against them because their remarks sound like ethnic cleansing and genocide.
South Africans react
Some South Africans were not happy with McKenzie's comments and called for authorities to investigate him, however, there were some who were in full support of the Patriotic Alliance leader.
@angel_lourve said:
"So this becomes interesting if instead of the Zimbabwean vs South African patient example, we substitute Zulu vs Xhosa, then who deserves the oxygen?"
@BPaddey said:
"He is not normal upstairs."
@george_nkoana said:
"I'm sure @GaytonMcK is not saying he will go on a killing spree, going into in ward checking if one is illegal in SA, then switching off the machine; he is merely saying if there was only one oxygen machine and you have to choose who gets that machine he will choose a South African."
@Mczana said:
"Sad thing is that is the stance of every other country but SA and eventually, we will also follow suit as all countries eventually found that at some point, they have to prioritise their citizens. Once we get over our scars of being excluded by Apartheid, we'll do the same."
Patriotic Alliance backs controversial Limpopo MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba
Briefly News previously reported that Gayton McKenzie, the leader of the Patriotic Alliance, has come out to defend Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the Limpopo Health MEC, as the calls for her to step down intensify.
Ramathuba has been the topic of debate this week after a video of her scolding a Zimbabwean patient went viral on social media. The MEC said that illegal immigrants are overburdening the public healthcare system in Limpopo.
The Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance condemned Ramathuba for her comments saying she is afrophobic and called for her to be given the axe, TimesLIVE reported.
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Source: Briefly News
