A fresh wave of xenophobic tension is sweeping South Africa as Operation Dudula, a far-right anti-immigrant movement, announced plans to block foreign children from attending public schools beginning in December 2025.
In a video circulating widely on social media, the group’s president, Zandile Dabula, stated that the campaign will commence in late December and escalate in early January 2026. She said members of the group will be stationed outside schools to enforce the ban.
“No foreign child will attend a public school. They can go to private schools—we don’t care. Public schools are for South African children only,” Dabula declared.
Anti-Migrant Sentiment Intensifies
Operation Dudula has a history of stirring anti-immigrant sentiment and has previously led campaigns targeting African migrants, particularly from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Malawi, and Mozambique. The group has been widely condemned for its violent tactics and rhetoric.
Dabula claimed that many foreign children in South Africa are undocumented or using fraudulent papers, arguing that they should be thoroughly vetted.
“We are not going to accept illegal foreigners. Even those claiming to be legal must be verified. Their documents must be checked. They will be the last in line,” she said.
Citing resource constraints, Dabula invoked Section 27(2) of the South African Constitution to justify the exclusion, arguing that public education should prioritize citizens first.
Blocking Hospitals and Harassing Migrants
In addition to schools, Operation Dudula members have also reportedly targeted hospitals. Videos posted online show members of the group denying access to medical facilities, demanding identification documents from patients to verify nationality.
One incident at Addington Hospital in Durban sparked particular alarm. Academic and activist Crispin Hemson detailed his encounter in a Facebook post, describing how unidentified individuals stationed at the hospital entrance blocked access to those they believed were foreigners.
“This is the rise of a new fascism,” Hemson wrote. “These people are not staff, yet they were controlling access and spreading lies about the Constitution.”
Hemson emphasized that Section 27 of the Constitution guarantees healthcare access for everyone, not just South Africans. He criticized both private security and local police for failing to act.
“The police officer I spoke to at the station said, ‘They’ve been doing this all week. It’s political.’ That’s not an excuse. Law enforcement should uphold the law, not politics,” he added.
Hemson also warned that the intimidation tactics could deter working-class people—both foreign and South African—from seeking essential services, further exacerbating inequality.
Growing Alarm Over State Complicity
Observers and human rights advocates fear that the failure of security personnel to intervene, and the passive response from police, suggest tacit support or at least tolerance for Operation Dudula’s actions.
Critics have long warned that such campaigns fuel xenophobic violence and undermine the constitutional rights of non-citizens residing legally in South Africa. There are increasing calls for the government to step in and halt the group’s actions before tensions escalate further.
Operation Dudula’s latest threat—this time aimed at children—has intensified public debate about the rise of exclusionary nationalism and the potential erosion of South Africa’s democratic values.
