Health Department responds to claims of workers' alleged collusion

THE National Health Department has confirmed that it is aware of allegations that healthcare workers are allegedly colluding with members of Operation Dudula to prevent patients, who are believed to be undocumented foreign nationals, from accessing healthcare facilities.

- LISA ISAACS and NICOLA DANIELS

It urged people who had evidence of the collusion to come forward with the information.

“We have been alerted of such allegations of collusion between healthcare workers and members of Operation Dudula preventing (access for) healthcare users without forms of identification due to suspicion of being undocumented foreign nationals, and we call upon anyone with a shred of evidence to share with us so we can act accordingly without fear of favour,’ said Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale.

He said any security guard employed by the department, directly or indirectly, who assists the protesters to block patients from accessing facilities will be charged for overreaching their mandate, which is to protect the facilities.

“They would equally face actions for violating the laws and policies of the country. South Africa is not a lawless and xenophobic country, thus we call upon law enforcement agencies to enforce the law against anyone who undermines the laws of our country,’ Mohale said.

This comes after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it had found that some security staff and healthcare staff were working in collusion with anti-migrant groups.