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Operation Dudula members released on bail after clash over healthcare access
Operation Dudula members released on bail after clash over healthcare access

IOL News

time11-08-2025

  • Health
  • IOL News

Operation Dudula members released on bail after clash over healthcare access

Members of the controversial Operation Dudula protested outside the Lillian Ngoyi healthcare facility in Soweto on Monday, following the release of three members who had been arrested last Thursday. Image: Itumeleng English/Indepedent Newspapers The National Department of Health has slammed the ongoing anti-illegal immigrant campaign across South Africa's healthcare facilities. This comes after the controversial Operation Dudula returned to the Lillian Ngoyi healthcare facility after their members were released on bail by the Orlando Magistrates Court on Monday, following their arrest for enforcing their campaign at the same facility on Thursday. The arrest was confirmed last week by Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, who said the suspects, aged between 49 and 60, were arrested on charges including contravention of the National Health Act and public violence. The arrest came after the three members were locked inside one of the Lillian Ngoyi wards following the enforcement of the movement's anti-illegal foreigners campaign at Gauteng clinics and hospitals. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading This campaign, which has been ongoing for over two months, has received criticism from the government and civil society organisations, who have slammed Operation Dudula for preventing alleged illegal immigrants from accessing healthcare at government healthcare facilities across the country. Speaking during the picket outside Lillian Ngoyi clinic in Soweto on Monday, the movement's leader, Zandile Dubula, decried the "unlawful" arrest of its members, who spent the weekend behind bars at the Diepkloof police station, prompting weekend-long protests outside the station. "Our members were released on free bail and are out on a warning. However, their arrest was unnecessary, and the system was designed to frustrate us more than anything. There was no need to keep them in custody the entire weekend. They were treated as if they were hardcore criminals when they were not hardened criminals. They were refused visitors and food, which was not necessary," she stated. During the picket outside the Lilian Ngoyi facility, Siphiwe Shabangu, a member of the movement, slammed the government for allowing undocumented immigrants to access free healthcare at public health facilities. "We are not obstructing anyone and we are picketing peacefully. However, police continue to harass us," said Shabangu. Masondo said police were called to the facility last week after the suspects were locked in one of the labour wards by nursing staff and patients, who felt their rights were being violated. 'The suspects were arrested and charged with contravention of the National Health Act and public violence, among other charges,' he said. Reacting to the ongoing campaign, the national health department spokesperson Foster Mohale, condemned the campaign for its interference with the provision of services. "As the Department of Health, we have noted the ongoing protest actions around our healthcare facilities by members of Operation Dudula and other organisations. We do not condone these actions interfering with healthcare services. We have since reached out to the leadership of Operation Dudula for a sit-down meeting in order to find long-lasting solutions to these challenges," he said.

Operation Dudula's impact: KwaZulu-Natal's verification process delayed
Operation Dudula's impact: KwaZulu-Natal's verification process delayed

IOL News

time30-07-2025

  • Politics
  • IOL News

Operation Dudula's impact: KwaZulu-Natal's verification process delayed

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has announced the postponement of its extensive verification process aimed at accounting for all staff and learners across the province. Image: Doctor Ngcobo The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has announced the postponement of its extensive verification process aimed at accounting for all staff and learners across the province, a move that has coincided with a rising tide of activism from the controversial Operation Dudula Movement. In a recent circular, the department confirmed that the verification was intended to eradicate ghost employees and inflated learner numbers that compromise the integrity of school funding allocations. This process was set to commence on 30 July 2025 and would have required employees and learners to present crucial documentation such as identity documents and birth certificates. Employees who failed to comply would face salary freezes, while undocumented learners were to be removed from school registers. "The KwaZulu Natal Department of Education has resolved to postpone the employee and learner verification process, issued under circular No:75 of 2025, until further notice. The said process was scheduled to commence from 30 July 2025 for the head office officials. Management and/or supervisors are advised to bring the said postponement to the attention of all staff as well as the project team members," the department said. While the postponement notice does not mention undocumented learners, the original circular stated that the verification process would include those deemed to be undocumented learners. "Employee and learner verification process including undocumented KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education will be implementing the Employee and Learner Verification project. This project is aimed at physically verifying employees and learners in all the schools, circuits, districts and head office of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. "The project will assist the department to deal decisively with the risk of infiltrated learner numbers and the potential for existence of ghost employees, whilst ensuring that the department pays salaries to the correct number of employees as well as allocate Norms and Standards funds to schools for an accurate number of learners," it said. The department indicated that during this process, employees would be required to produce identity documents, and sign employee declaration forms, while learners would be required to produce their birth certificates or identity documents as well as passports. Meanwhile, Operation Dudula Movement leader, Zandile Dubula has vowed to take her new campaign to schools across the country in the new year. "We are going to schools. We are going to launch a campaign at the end of December so that in the first week of January 2026, we are going to be stationed at schools. We are saying no illegal foreign child will be attending public schools. They can rather take them to private schools. We do not mind that, but public schools are going to be reserved for South African children only." The upcoming campaign by the movement comes hot on the heels of the Operation Dudula campaign which has been supported by the March on March movement in KZN, where scores of alleged undocumented immigrants have been turned away at local clinics and hospitals in KZN, Gauteng and other parts of the country. This campaign has received criticism from human rights organisations as well as some government departments, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who called this campaign xenophobic during his recent address to the delegates of the African National Congress Liberation Movements Summit, last week. "We must reject xenophobia in all its forms. Migration in itself, must not be seen as a threat. It is a consequence of underdevelopment, war, and global inequality, not a moral failing of those who migrate in search of hope. As liberation movements, we must advocate for people-centered regional migration policies that affirm dignity, rights, and solidarity as well," he said. Reacting to the call by Operation Dudula, speaking on behalf of Abahlali Basemjondolo, Mqapheli Bonono, slammed the movement's campaigns targeting vulnerable groups saying though Abahlali feel Dudula's frustration, denying immigrants basic rights contradicts the spirit of ubuntu and the country's constitution. "As Abahlai Basemjondolo, we are opposed to Operation Dudula's recent campaign at healthcare facilities as well as the new campaign they want to start. Their campaigns are against the spirit of ubuntu and the country's democratic ideals, espoused by our constitution. How can you deny a child access to education. Some of the children they plan to prevent have already been studying and to stop them from continuing with their education would be inhumane. Even those who are sick, they are still human beings who must be allowed to access healthcare," he stated. Attempts to get clarity from the KZN education department on the reasons for their verification process were not successful at the time of going to print. s[email protected]

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