Ndiho Media,LLC.

By Ndiho Media
South Africa’s public health system has become the battleground of a growing national conflict. Operation Dudula, a vigilante movement, has been accused of blocking foreign nationals from public clinics and hospitals. Members claim undocumented migrants are draining scarce resources, while human rights organizations argue the campaign is unconstitutional, xenophobic, and risks sparking a wider health crisis.
Ndiho Media spoke to Dr. Maropeng Mpya, a legal and political analyst based in Johannesburg, to unpack these tensions. He reminded us that migration into South Africa is not new. “Migration started in the 1800s during the gold rush. Mozambicans, Zimbabweans, and Swazis came in, and it has always been tied to South Africa’s labor market,” Mpya explained.
Operation Dudula insists it is targeting undocumented migrants, not all foreign nationals. But Mpya questioned their approach. “The people whom the Dudula movement is primarily chasing away are illegal foreigners. But asking for IDs at clinics is not dignified. That should be the role of the state, not vigilantes.”
On the question of whether foreigners showing up at a clinic or hospital is criminal, he was clear: “It is not the action of an undocumented foreigner to go to a criminal hospital. The Constitution provides for them to get medical care. You heal them first, because person first — then you can deal with their immigration status.”
He warned of the dangers of denying care to the vulnerable. “I put myself in the position of a young mother in labor pains, being told I must go away, where I cannot even get help. What type of uncivilized behavior is that?”
While acknowledging frustrations, Mpya said the real problem lies elsewhere. “Youth unemployment is around 40%. People feel the system is failing them. But blaming migrants is not the solution. The real problem is government incompetence and failure to manage borders.”
For Mpya, the way forward is clear: “Chasing people away in pain will never solve our problems. The solution lies in better governance, stronger regional cooperation, and respecting the dignity of every person who seeks help.”