by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African opposition Patriotic Alliance (PA)’s planned 10th Anniversary faces a huge boycott after party President Gayton McKenzie declared his solidarity with apartheid Israel at the expense of oppressed Palestinians.
Apart from supporting Israel in this ongoing conflict, which left almost 10, 000 people, mainly children, women, elderly and patients in hospitals dead with infrastructure worth billions of dollars destroyed, majority South Africans queried where will the Patriotic Alliance get attendants from since it did not command any support in the political space.
Earlier on Monday McKenzie had tweeted on X, (formerly Twitter) trumpeting his party’s 10th Birthday Celebration, which he stated would take place on Saturday, 25th November at the Orlando Stadium.
The tweet ended with a slogan: “Siyaya eOlando”, literally meaning : “We will be there in Orlando.”
Palestinians crying for peace, global justice, safety and security as Western sponsored Israel bomb innocent civilians
However, the tweet stirred up a hornet’s nest as it attracted a barrage of attacks left, right and centre while other followers tore into pieces the would-be-anniversary announcement as “political gimmick”.
One follower identified as Rite-u-r reacted: “Just get a tent …big enough for PA,” Shai Khutšo replied: “You should have used your backyard coz WOW. Nobody is coming,” while Rakgadi Rubber Bands suggested: “@Book a community hall chief.”
Of late McKenzie’s political party has been lurching from one controversy to another with the latest being his open solidarity with the apartheid Israel in its conflict with the oppressed people of Palestine, a development, which did not help PA’s matter but ignited the fire.
King@MajolaGP queried: “You shouldn’t have announced which side you’re on in that war (between Israel and Palestine) because now is a critical time and most SAns (South Africans) side with Palestinians, now you lost so many votes including mine bro.. very bad move.”
Sithembiso Mdunyelwa voiced: “Hope Apartheid Israel will fill up the stadium (Orlando)” while Molatelo Zakes said: “There’s nothing to celebrate with a party that rejoice in the pain and suffering of Palestinians who have been oppressed for decades by the apartheid Israeli settlers. You stand with evil, akin to the one conquered in South Africa.”
Others, who made a melee out of PA’s utterances include Kwena Theopholus, who said: “You are going to embarrass yourself. Please don’t do it,” with Thabiso
predicting: “This (anniversary) will be postponed, mark my tweet.”
Patriotic Alliance’s notice for its forthcoming 10th Anniversary
Lesetja Magongwa proposed to McKenzie: “Please inbox me to rent a crowd, we will discuss the details if you are interested. We are running a reliable rent crowd company, which can fill any stadium, at very low cost. Best to rent a crowd company you can rely on,” while Zinjhiva Miluveri declared: “Let’s bet you will change the venue at a later stage,” while .
Others such as #CrossRoads suggested: “You’ll have to provide freebies for some of us to attend, not that I’ll vote for you, I just want food, t-shirt and a cap,” with HumaOP sarcastically said: “he stadium is too big,go to the mall or community hall or something…even the Dome will be too big.
Majority locals, who previously suffered in the hands of the white apartheid South African regime find themselves associated with the oppressed people of Palstine in this conflict, a move that turned supporters against McKenzie’s international posturing widely believed to be aimed at impressing the United States and its Western Allies, who support Israel.
– CAJ News