Africa Day: Gayton McKenzie Said African Unity Not Only in South Africa

Africa Day: Gayton McKenzie Said African Unity Not Only in South Africa

NORTH WEST— The leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Gayton McKenzie, said foreign nationals without legal documents must leave South Africa.

Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie said South Africa is not the only place where Africa can unite
Gayton MCKenzie doubled down on his "Abahambe" rhetoric. Image: Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

He spoke during an Africa Day on 25 May 2025 event where he addressed the crowd about undocumented migration and national sovereignty. According to SABC News, McKenzie spoke at an event in Moruleng, North West, on 25 May 2026, where the department of Sport, Arts and Culture hosted celebrations.

McKenzie, who recently slammed the Somali Association of South Africa, addressed the crowd. He said that countries in Europe and China enforce passport and visa regulations. He questioned why South Africa should not enforce its own immigration laws. Gayton McKenzie addresses undocumented migration McKenzie said that undocumented people must return to their home countries. He said that South Africa is blamed for xenophobia whenever it seeks to enforce existing immigration laws.

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The PA leader said that African nations cannot achieve unity unless individual countries take full responsibility for their own citizens. He added that citizens from nations such as Zimbabwe and Nigeria should focus on developing their home countries.

McKenzie stated that true African unity requires leaders to ensure their citizens remain at home instead of migrating to look for employment opportunities. He concluded that he chose to speak directly to the audience about these issues rather than reading a prepared speech.

Gayton McKenzie will not vote against Cyril Ramaphosa

In a related article, Briefly News reported that McKenzie threw his weight behind President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa's future looks uncertain as the ghost of Phala Phala is haunting him, but McKenzie said he is in his corner.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tebogo Mokwena avatar

Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena is a senior current affairs writer at Briefly News. With a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON, he has a strong background in digital journalism, having completed training with the Google News Initiative. He began his career as a journalist at Daily Sun, where he worked for four years before becoming a sub-editor and journalist at Capricorn Post. He then joined Vutivi Business News in 2020 before moving to Briefly News in 2023. Email: tebogo.mokwena@briefly.co.za