Some Rosettenville residents insist foreign nationals stop using public healthcare facilities

JOHANNESBURG - Some Rosettenville residents in the south of Johannesburg have reiterated their call for foreign nationals to stop using public clinics and hospitals, insisting they should only be using private facilities. 

The community has been protesting for almost two weeks now, blocking foreign nationals from accessing medical services. 

In their demonstration on Wednesday, they handed over a memorandum of demands at the Booysens police station. 

In it, they called for the deportation of illegal immigrants. 

Angry residents in the area said they want South Africans to be prioritised for state services. 

READ: Foreign national shocked after being denied access to Rosettenville clinic

Other issues raised during the protest were claims that law enforcement officials work with illegal immigrants to commit crime. 

Protestor Thandeka Masondo said police also need to protect public clinics from being accessed by undocumented foreign nationals.

“And then if you had a medical certificate, then you are allowed to go to the clinic. But then if you don't have, who's paying for you? There are private doctors, there are private clinics. Nobody is denying them that right. There are no dogs in front of those hospitals. You can go there. They have businesses here. Those businesses are not even registered. So, they have the money, they have the funds. So, they can go to private doctors.”

She added that departments need to come together to address the issues faced by communities.