SAHRC approaches Masemola to ensure foreign nationals access healthcare

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has approached the National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, to ensure Operation Dudula is prevented from blocking foreign nationals from accessing healthcare services.

The group has recently made headlines for monitoring the entrances of public healthcare facilities and checking whether patients are South African citizens.

On Tuesday, the Chapter 9 institution released a series of reports, highlighting some of the most frequently reported human rights violations from the past financial year.

Operation Dudula claimed that public healthcare facilities have become overcrowded due to the influx of foreign nationals, regardless of their legal status in the country.

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The group argues that other African nations would not grant South Africansthe same free access to public healthcare and that treatment should be reciprocal.

However, Tshepo Madlingozi, a commissioner at the SAHRC, stated that Operation Dudula is directly obstructing human rights.

“It’s unlawful for any citizen or anyone to try to enforce immigration laws. No one is allowed to play the role that is supposed to be played by Home Affairs.”

Government has been criticised by some civil society organisations for what they describe as turning a blind eye to Operation Dudula’s alleged xenophobic activities.