(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU – 'Maarone, a Lesotho citizen who is working as a hairdresser in South Africa, was about to enter a clinic when she heard a man shouting, 'South African taxes for South Africans!'

She immediately froze with fear.

'Maarone was taking a sickly friend to the Lillian Ngoyi Clinic in Soweto in Johannesburg for medical attention.

The shouting was coming from a member of Operation Dudula, a large group of chauvinistic zealots notorious for raiding hostels and private properties that is chasing away foreigners from South Africa.

The incident happened two weeks ago.

Members of the Operation Dudula campaign have been waiting at the gates of public health facilities in Johannesburg preventing foreigners from entering, including Basotho, since May.

'Maarone's fears were not without basis.

Within no time dozens of the Operation Dudula members had gathered at the clinic's gate chanting slogans about the abuse of South Africa's health delivery system while some started demanding that patients produce their South African national identity cards.

“I looked at my friend and what I saw was fear on her face,” 'Maarone says.

“She could barely walk unassisted and she was entirely dependent on me to get her inside the clinic,” she says.

“We had not yet reached the gate when Operation Dudula members arrived and we had to return right there.”

Her friend, a Mosotho from Ha-Ramabanta in the rural Maseru district, was later helped by a white lady“with a white heart” who offered to take her to a private clinic in Soweto.

“She paid from her own pocket, all the medical bills including check-up visits afterwards,” she says.

'Maarone, who declined to reveal her full identity to thepost lest Operation Dudula targets her business and kick her out as they did with other foreigners, says her fear is that the campaign is gaining momentum across the country.

“I witnessed how they closed down many businesses owned by black African foreigners. Mine was spared because my helpers are South Africans who are widely known in the neighbourhood,” she says.

“I have employed six South Africans.”

She says she is shocked by the speed at which Operation Dudula is appreciated and welcomed by poor, disgruntled South Africans who have been made to believe that foreigners are the cause of their own misery.

“My fear is that within no time, xenophobic attacks will engulf the country,” she says.

'Maarone, who holds a degree in public administration from the National University of Lesotho (NUL), says she left Lesotho for South Africa four years ago after she battled to get a job.

Several Basotho living and working in South Africa told the Migrant Workers Association (MWA) this week that they are afraid to talk to the media, fearing that they could be targeted for attacks.

Many of them are either domestic workers, farm workers or they are working at construction sites often without valid documents or have overstayed in South Africa.

Because they don't have valid work permits, when they fall sick they cannot go to public health facilities in South Africa.

Operation Dudula has worsened their situation.

Sometimes they do not have enough money to seek help at private clinics or travel back home to Lesotho to seek medical attention.

Many of them are only able to go home during the Christmas or Easter holidays when they have saved enough money.

Some have to use unorthodox means to cross the border, risking life and limb to cross flooding rivers.

Last week, the Basotho Action Party (BAP) leader, Professor Nqosa Mahao, pleaded with parliament to discuss the plight of Basotho in South Africa in the wake of harassment by Operation Dudula.

Mahao's motion was however shot down.

The government argued that there was no evidence that Basotho were being harassed in South Africa.

The MWA immediately condemned the government for mocking Professor Mahao's motion.

The MWA director, Lerato Nkhetše, told thepost last week that“the government's mocking of an MP who genuinely wanted Basotho migrants in South Africa (to be assisted) is unfortunate”.

“This is a condemnable, unfortunate thing that the government is doing when all evidence is there for everyone to see that foreigners are being denied entry to clinics in South Africa,” Nkhetše said.

“Perhaps they behave in this way because they know that they have enough money and their children won't find themselves at the gates of South African public clinics,” he said.

Nkhetše said it is a pity that the Lesotho government has its embassy in Pretoria and consulates in major cities but claims that it is not aware that Basotho are being denied entry into South Africa's public clinics.

He said it is common knowledge that President Cyril Ramaphosa recently addressed the matter publicly“because it is there for everyone to see”.

“Even the police tried to stop it. This is being done publicly by Operation Dudula and they post their videos on social media,” he said.

“The government cannot claim there is no evidence of such.”

Last Tuesday the MWA condemned the denial of health services to Basotho migrants living in various parts of South Africa.

“This action is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and international law, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which equivocally guarantees the right to health for all individuals regardless of their immigration status,” the statement reads.

“We will not tolerate this act of discrimination,” the MWA said.

“Immediate action is essential to rectify this grave injustice.”

The MWA said migrants have an undeniable right to access healthcare services.

“Denying healthcare to Basotho immigrants not only inflicts harm on individuals but also undermines the core of human dignity and equality that are non-negotiable in any just society,” it said.

The MWA asserts that both Lesotho and South Africa, as the sending and receiving countries,“share a crucial responsibility in protecting the rights of migrants”.

“Sending countries must ensure their citizens are fully informed of their rights and have access to support systems before and during migration,” it said.

The MWA said South Africa as the receiving country must live up to its international obligations by upholding human rights laws and providing access to essential services, including healthcare, for everyone within their borders.

The MWA demanded that the relevant authorities must conduct a thorough investigation into these incidents and hold Operation Dudula instigators responsible for the denial of health care to immigrants.

“Basotho immigrants should be granted immediate access to the healthcare services they require,” the MWA said.
“Effective measures should be implemented to prevent similar violations in the future.”

After the Lilian Ngoyi Clinic incident, three Operation Dudula women were arrested and charged at the Orlando Magistrate's Court.

Operation Dudula, however, says it will not stop restricting foreigners from getting health services saying they should go to private clinics.

Public clinics in South Africa are free or where fees are paid they range between M20 and M60 while a private general practitioner's fee ranges from M350 to M700.

A private specialist consultation ranges from M800 to M2 000.

Maternity care in a private hospital can cost upwards of M25 000 while emergency room visits can range from M1 000 to M3 000 for initial consultation, with additional charges for treatments.

Operation Dudula's notoriety for chasing foreigners out of their houses and destroying their properties has in the past been dealt with passively by the South African government.

At times the government would claim that it was unaware of the raids, despite that Operation Dudula does the raids publicly and posts on its website and on social media.

After the recent Lilian Ngoyi Clinic raid two weeks ago, which saw a foreign pregnant woman kicked out, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa raised concerns about“the escalation of public comments supporting health xenophobia that have been met with little condemnation or government action”.

It cited the case of the Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, who in 2022 publicly chastised a migrant patient for“killing [her] health care system”.

The institute also recalled that Aaron Motswaledi, when he was still Home Affairs Minister“stated that non-South African patients cause overcrowding, [which means] infection control starts failing”.

The institute said it and the Helen Suzman Foundation have also come under attack, sometimes from government officials and politicians, for challenging xenophobia.

The institute is currently representing four civil organisations, Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX), the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF), the Inner City Federation (ICF) and Abahlali BaseMjondolo in court seeking relief against Operation Dudula.

It accuses Operation Dudula of xenophobic and racist speech and conduct,“as well as relevant organs of state for failing to discharge their duties in relation to Operation Dudula's unlawful conduct”.

The High Court has since declared that no person, including the media, may publish the names, addresses and professional status of the deponents to the founding, supporting and confirmatory affidavits in this matter or any other personal information likely to identify them.

Angry with this, Operation Dudula and allied groups marched to the institute's offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, accusing it of taking sides with foreigners against South Africans.

Caswell Tlali

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