EFF lays criminal complaint against Operation Dudula following tragic health access incident

Gauteng police have confirmed that they are investigating a criminal complaint against Operation Dudula and its leader, Zandile Dubula following the death of one-year-old child after the mother was prevented from accessing healthcare.

The EFF accused the movement of conducting a "barbaric" campaign of stopping allegedly illegal foreigners from accessing services at public healthcare facilities across the country.

The EFF said it also supports other citizens whose constitutional rights were violated when members of the movement prevented them from accessing healthcare services in Soweto.

Speaking outside the Alexandra police station, EFF regional chairperson Nkululeko Dunga said the party has a clear position on immigration.

"The EFF stance is that everyone must be documented and accounted for. The State must have the ability to track every person’s movement in the country. But this doesn’t mean we must allow lawlessness to raise its ugly head in the guise of some misguided patriotism.

"The EFF will not allow our public facilities to be hijacked and run through the logic of vigilante groups like Operation Dudula. A young lady, Grace Banda, was denied entrance to all clinics around Alexandra until her sick child died.

"Pregnant women are forced to give birth outside clinic gates, and EFF cannot stand by and watch, for the sake of scoring cheap political points. Human lives are a much greater price for such political stunts," he said.

The party further accused the police of failing to prevent the movement and its members of carrying out their campaign against immigrants.

"The EFF also condemns in the strongest terms the inaction of the police, who continue to stand by and allow these vigilantes to terrorise patients and staff at state facilities. This inaction emboldens them to now enter schools, harass children, and demand that they prove their citizenship. Equally, we warn clinics and hospital managers who allow this to happen," the party said.

Attempts to get comment from Dubula were not successful at the time of publication. However, in a statement this week, the movement denied that its members caused the death of a child.

"Operation Dudula categorically refutes claims alleging that our movement was involved in an incident where a child allegedly died after being denied medical care. These allegations are reckless and misleading, especially in the absence of credible evidence or proof linking our members to such an event," it said.

On Sunday, Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that a case was registered with the Alexandra police station.

"The police have opened an inquiry docket. Once the investigation is complete, the docket will be taken to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision," Masondo said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za