Nigerians in South Africa have raised alarm over fresh xenophobic threats from a group called Operation Dudula, accusing its members of blocking foreigners from hospitals and harassing them in public spaces.
Leaders of Nigerian communities said the attacks, which have intensified in recent months, are pushing many to the brink of despair. They are now calling for urgent diplomatic action from both the Nigerian and South African governments.
Frank Onyekwelu, President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, described the situation as “another wave of xenophobia.”
He said women have been forced to give birth on bare floors outside hospitals after being denied care.
“Imagine a woman giving birth on a bare floor in front of a hospital without antenatal care or a midwife. Some patients are being discharged without treatment. What if it’s life and death? They would just die like chickens,” Onyekwelu lamented.
He said Nigerian doctors have stepped in to help, but urged both governments to act quickly to protect lives.
Smart Nwobi, President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, also condemned the harassment. He cited a recent case where a mother was stopped from immunising her baby at a public clinic.
“It is really alarming. We are appealing to the government to deploy security agents to protect public facilities so that criminals will not continue taking the law into their hands,” Nwobi said.
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He stressed that Operation Dudula is not a government body but a coalition of locals who claim foreigners take jobs and services. According to him, some leaders of the group are not even South African by birth.
“The man in the viral video chasing foreigners from a hospital has dual citizenship—South African by descent and Nigerian by birth. They say if you don’t speak a South African language, you are not a citizen. But they ignore naturalisation,” Nwobi explained.
He described the group’s actions as illegal, noting that Section 27 of the South African Constitution guarantees access to healthcare for everyone.
Other Nigerians also labelled the group “criminals,” pointing out that politicians like Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters have called for investigations into its activities.
The Nigerian community has reported the matter to the Nigerian Embassy, while the African Diaspora Forum is considering legal action, including an injunction at the South African High Court.
Onyekwelu warned that the crisis, if unchecked, could worsen.
“We are not happy. This is hate and injustice against foreign nationals. We need urgent intervention,” he said.