‘The Grinch’ or a glitch? Gayton McKenzie accused of back-peddling on Christmas bikes

Is Gayton McKenzie “The Grinch who stole Christmas” from needy children? Enraged parents from Borcherds, in George, seem to think so.

This after the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and party members arrived with great fanfare in the impoverished community on Christmas Eve, bearing brand spanking new bicycles as “gifts” for the children.

PA leader Gayton McKenzie under fire for Borcherds bike saga

After the noticeably excited young ones unwrapped what they thought were their very own Christmas presents, they were instructed to pose for some photos with McKenzie on their new wheels before the bicycles were summarily taken away.

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According to Rapport, the crushed children were then told that the bicycles were actually meant for a bicycle park which is still in the pipeline.

Parents slam PA’s Christmas visit as a ‘publicity stunt’ for McKenzie

On the private Facebook group LLS Community Voice, parents of the disillusioned children voiced their displeasure with the PA’s visit marred by the many unhappy returns of Christmas gifts.

“Just for photos and nothing more,” read one of the parents’ comments, slamming the PA’s mind-boggling show of the Christmas spirit of giving as a “publicity stunt”.

The bicycle saga was also likened on the group to McKenzie’s unfulfilled promise to establish 15 solar farms in the Central Karoo when he was still the executive mayor of the district municipality.

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‘The uncle took it away’

A community leader in Borcherds, Sandra Maart, told Rapport that her neighbour’s son was one of the children who unwrapped their bicycle “presents” at McKenzie’s Christmas party.

“When I asked him later that evening to show me his bicycle, he told me with a sad little face that ‘the uncle took it away’.”

According to one of the parents, Esmerelda Booysen, the children were allegedly told that they would get their bicycles after the food was handed out at the party.

“Afterwards, the children stood around waiting, only to be told that the bicycles were not theirs to keep and will be taken away again.”

PA hits back with bicycle park

The PA hit back at the allegation that the party hijacked the children’s Christmas, with the party’s national spokesperson, Steve Motale, saying McKenzie wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing “in a million years”.

“Gayton McKenzie made his intention of establishing a bicycle park for the children of George very clear. He will go about this ward by ward, starting with Borcherds,” Motale said.

According to Motale, McKenzie will be delivering bicycles in the George neighbourhood of Parkdene this coming week.

Safety helmets

Motale explained that the problem with the Borcherds bicycle delivery was that they failed to provide safety helmets to the children and McKenzie did not want the children to ride around without them.

As proof of the statement, the spokesperson provided the publication with a photo of safety helmets which the party has since bought.

He also sent a video in which McKenzie tells the parents and children at the Christmas party that the “presents belong to everyone”.

“I just want to thank the Lord that He made it possible for us to be in the position to put smiles on the faces of 2000 children,” the spokesperson added.

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