Patriotic Alliance leader and Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has called for illegal foreigners to be barred from receiving medical treatment in South African hospitals following US President Donald Trump’s decision to cut USAID-funded programmes in the country.
During a heated parliamentary debate, McKenzie argued that the 17% funding loss from the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) means that South Africans must be prioritised over undocumented foreigners.
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Gayton McKenzie: “They Must Go to Their Own Country”
“Because the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief has been removed, 17% of the money is gone. I ask the president of this country: can we stop giving medical help to illegal foreigners?” McKenzie said.
“They should be banned from our hospitals. They must go to their country that has a good relationship with America.”
South Africa and the US: Tensions Rise
The funding cut has deepened tensions between South Africa and the US, with advocacy group AfriForum accused of spreading misinformation that led to the decision. AfriForum and the Solidarity movement met with Trump’s administration last week, sparking criticism from President Cyril Ramaphosa and other political figures.
McKenzie, however, urged Ramaphosa to mend ties with Trump, stating that both countries need each other.
“Not everyone hates Americans, and not everyone here is saying the US should go to hell,” McKenzie argued.
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“Stop listening to racists giving you wrong information and let’s get together and talk. Let Ramaphosa sit down with Trump and work out a deal. America needs South Africa, and South Africa needs America. If we don’t work together, both will lose, but South Africa will lose more.”
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15,000 Jobs Lost – Who Will Help?
The USAID funding cut has already cost 15,000 South Africans their jobs, particularly in the health sector. McKenzie challenged MPs opposing diplomatic talks with the US to present a solution for those affected.
“Come here with a plan, don’t just argue,” he said. “You have free medical aid and you come here and argue. I’m speaking for the people without medical aid. At this moment, we can’t even give our doctors jobs. Without Pepfar, it will be worse. People are going to die. HIV/Aids is going to kill our people.”
The controversial call to ban illegal foreigners from SA hospitals has ignited public debate, with some supporting McKenzie’s stance while others condemn it as inhumane and unconstitutional.
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