Government deploys public order police to stop protests blocking foreign nationals from public health facilities
The government has resolved to deploy Public Order Police to several public health facilities
Image: Doctor Ngcobo
The government has resolved to deploy Public Order Police to several public health facilities following a wave of protests in which foreign nationals were blocked from receiving medical care.
The South African Police Service, along with other law enforcement agencies, are now implementing an operational plan to address protests by groups blocking foreign nationals' access to healthcare facilities.
"The SAPS in collaboration with the Department of Health, is deploying Public Order Police to maintain law and order during the protests at the affected health facilities," said the government in a statement.
The government added that law enforcement officials, working alongside the Department of Home Affairs, will continue to arrest and prosecute foreign nationals found to be in breach of the Immigration Act.
This escalation comes amid growing pressure from groups such as Operation Dudula and March and March, who accuse the government of failing to address the country’s migration challenges.
These groups argue that foreign nationals are placing undue pressure on South Africa’s public healthcare system. They want foreign nationals to be denied medical care.
In a statement issued to the media late on Saturday, the government acknowledged the "genuine frustrations of many citizens regarding the pressures on public services, including overburdened clinics and exhausted healthcare workers", but warned that taking the law into one’s own hands was unacceptable.
"Such actions stand in direct violation of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which affirms the foundational values of human dignity, equality, and the advancement of human rights and freedoms," the government said.
"Section 27(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, clearly provides that: “Everyone has the right to have access to healthcare services”. This right is not subject to an individual’s nationality or immigration status.
The government added that denying individuals healthcare based on their origin is a violation of the country's laws and values, adding that it was addressing migration issues through legal and orderly processes.
"South Africa is a signatory to several regional and international agreements that aim to ensure access to healthcare for its citizens and, in some cases, for individuals within its borders.
"The government is actively working to strengthen the health system by increasing the number of healthcare personnel and expanding resources at public health facilities. These efforts are aimed at ensuring that all who rely on public services can access the care they need in a dignified and efficient manner"
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