Action SA has reiterated its calls to amend section 27 of the Constitution to curb access to public healthcare for undocumented foreign nationals, amid Operation Dudula’s crackdown at public clinics, which human rights watchdogs have criticised for constitutional violations.
ActionSA parliamentary chief whip Lerato Ngobeni said the party had tabled constitutional amendment proposals in May, arguing that the public health system was “buckling” under the pressure of providing free care to non-citizens.
Ngobeni claimed that some clinics reported that up to 70% of patients seeking services were foreign nationals, and this had led to South Africans being “crowded out” of already overstretched facilities.
“South Africa is expected to carry this burden indefinitely, when other countries do not even allow entry without proof of medical insurance,” she said in a recent statement.
The SAHRC said blocking people from receiving healthcare services is unconstitutional. Referencing section 27(1) of the Constitution, the commission reaffirmed that “everyone has the right to have access to healthcare services”. It noted that section 27(3) guarantees that “no one may be refused emergency medical treatment”.
The commission voiced alarm about reports of intimidation by Operation Dudula at health facilities in Hillbrow and Rosettenville in Johannesburg. They demanded documentation at clinic entrances and turned away people without documents. In some cases, they inspected patient clinic cards and threatened hospital staff.
“The commission would like to remind members of the public and civic groups that access to healthcare is central to the right to dignity, the right to life, and the right to equality. The denial of healthcare on discriminatory grounds undermines the constitutional promise of a just, inclusive and caring society,” the SAHRC said.
It cautioned citizens against taking the law into their own hands and making it difficult for people to get medical care because of their nationality. “It is important to note that no civic group or individual has the legal authority to control access to public health facilities or to enforce immigration laws.”
The power to inspect, arrest, or detain undocumented people lies solely with the Department of Home Affairs, supported by the South African Police Service when lawfully required, the commission said.
Operation Dudula, now a registered political party, has said its actions are “community interventions”. National organiser Zandile Dabula told public broadcaster SABC last week that migrants should only receive emergency care “after they are arrested for violating immigration laws”.
In an interview with the Mail & Guardian, she denied that Operation Dudula’s actions at public clinics amounted to xenophobia, saying they were necessary because of government inaction.
Legal experts have said such actions could constitute violations of the Constitution and the National Health Act, which does not permit discrimination based on nationality or legal status.
International human rights frameworks, including the United Nations Refugee Convention and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, also obligate South Africa to provide basic healthcare to all people in its borders.
Pierre de Vos, a constitutional law expert at the University of Cape Town, has previously argued that section 27’s language is unambiguous and applies to all people, not just citizens.
He said that amending this section would require a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and approval from at least six provinces in the National Council of Provinces.
In Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, nurses and doctors have raised concerns about staff shortages, long queues and under-resourced clinics.
The department of health has not endorsed ActionSA’s stance, but it has acknowledged systemic pressure driven by increased demand, insufficient infrastructure and budget constraints. It says undocumented migrants can get primary care services, with more restricted access to specialised care.
Civil society organisations, including Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia and Section27, have called for urgent intervention to halt Operation Dudula-led disruptions at clinics. Legal proceedings have been launched in the Johannesburg high court seeking interdicts against the party’s actions, with judgments expected later this year.
As the 2026 local government elections draw near, Action SA is expected to campaign on a platform that includes stricter immigration enforcement and constitutional reform.
The party argues that South Africa must “rebalance” its humanitarian commitments with resource constraints, but critics warn that such rhetoric risks fuelling xenophobic violence.
*This article was first published by Mail & Guardian
Anti-Gang Unit detectives have made a breakthrough in the investigation into a mass murder in Bishop Lavis.
Two men and two women were shot and killed on Friday night.
One of the victims is an 80-year-old.
Police said two gunmen opened fire on the four victims inside a bedroom and fled the scene in a VW Polo.
The Police's Joseph Swartbooi explained, "Sterling tracing operations by detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit led to the arrest of two suspects after four victims were gunned down in Bishop Lavis on Friday, the 11th of July 2025. The possibility that the incident is gang-related cannot be ruled out."
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will on Tuesday present its report on the 2024 general elections to Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee.
The report highlights several achievements, including the successful integration of independent candidates into national and provincial elections.
The IEC also lauds the achievement of the largest ever voters’ roll at 27.5 million registered voters, widespread use of its online registration platform, and measures that prevented double voting. However, it acknowledges challenges, including issues with its information systems and voter management devices, long queues, disinformation and misinformation, as well as litigation.
Parly to receive IEC report on 2024 general elections on Tuesday
*This article was first published by SABC News
Dr Zakeera Docrat is the first South African elected to the executive board of the International Association for Forensic and Legal Linguistics.
Forensic and legal linguistics is the study of language and its role in legal systems, and it's a relatively new field in Africa.
But since 2017, the country has emerged as a key contributor, thanks largely to the groundbreaking work of Dr Docrat, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of the Western Cape.
*This article was first published by eNCA News
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in the Free State.
IOL previously reported that the country has been battling FMD for several months, prompting key trading partners, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and China, to suspend imports of meat and related animal products from the country.
The affected farm is located in the Moqhaka Local Municipality near Kroonstad and has been placed under quarantine as officials work to contain the spread.
In a statement issued to the media on Monday, the department emphasised that the affected properties were placed under quarantine on July 8, 2025, and immediate control measures were implemented.
"The affected property was placed under quarantine on 8 July 2025, and immediate control measures were implemented, including surveillance and vaccination," the department said.
"Traceback activities are ongoing to determine the source of the infection, while farms in the surrounding 10-km radius are undergoing surveillance to determine the possible extent of the spread".
According to the department, as of July 2025, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces in South Africa. Of these, 249 outbreaks remain unresolved, while 21 have undergone resolution.
"Eastern Cape has recorded 40 outbreaks, with 38 still open and two resolved. There have been no new reported cases in the Eastern Cape since September 2024. KwaZulu-Natal has been the most affected province, with 191 reported outbreaks, of which 172 remain active and 19 have been resolved.
"Since May 2025, Gauteng has reported 32 outbreaks, North West has four open outbreaks, while Mpumalanga has reported three outbreaks."
The Department has also issued a correction to a recent Government Gazette notice regarding the Disease Management Area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal.
The new notice (Gazette Notice 6396 of 4 July 2025) replaces the previous notice (Gazette Notice 5997 of 17 March 2025) and corrects the omission of several areas that remain under DMA restrictions.
"We sincerely apologise for any confusion caused and request all stakeholders to take note of the following areas that are declared to be part of the KwaZulu-Natal DMA:"
These include the whole of the following local municipalities: Big Five Hlabisa, Mtubatuba, Nongoma, Ulundi, Umhlabuyalingana, Jozini, Pongola, Abaqulusi, Umfolozi, uMhlathuze, Mthonjaneni, Nqutu, Nkandla, uMlalazi, and Mandeni.
Also included are portions of the following municipalities: Emadlangeni (south of R34 from R33), Newcastle (south of R34 and east of N11), Dannhauser (east of N11 and north of R68), Endumeni (north of R68 and east of R33), Msinga (east of R33), UMvoti (east of R33 up to R74 and north of R74), Maphumulo (north-east of R74), Ndwedwe (east of R74), and KwaDukuza (north-east of R74 up to the N2 and west to the N2 up to Mandeni).
*This article was first published by IOL News
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has thrown its weight behind KwaZulu-Natal’s top cop, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, ahead of an inquiry into corruption at the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The inquiry came as a result of Mkhwanazi’s bombshell media briefing earlier in July, where he alleged there was criminal syndicates within the country’s law enforcement agencies.
On Monday, the MK Party held a march in Johannesburg to show support for Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi has been out of the public eye since his controversial media briefing on 6 July.
The people he implicated, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, have rubbished his claims as wild speculation.
MK Party Gauteng spokesperson Abel Tau said Mkhwanazi would not risk his life and career just to speculate.
“If we don’t stand up as citizens of this country now and take the opportunity to put a clear marker between us and those who are against society, it will never come again an opportunity like that.”
Following its two “Hands Off Mkhwanazi” marches in Johannesburg and Durban on Monday, the MK Party is having another one in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The party has another one planned for Friday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where it promises to bring Gauteng to a standstill.
*EWN First published this article
