Rival groups pepper sprayed as tensions rise

DESPITE a strong police presence monitoring the situation, tensions rose high as two opposing protests between Operation Dudula and Abahlali Basemjondolo converged on the corner of Jorissen and Melle streets in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

- SIYABONGA SITHOLE

The atmosphere escalated quickly as members of the two movements, which have differing views on illegal immigration, clashed, resulting in the police using pepper spray to defuse the situation.

The march against NGOs and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) comes just as Operation Dudula, alongside the March in March movement, recently intensified its campaign, preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing healthcare services in some parts of the country.

It is this campaign that has received criticism from the SAHRC as well as the National Department of Health, and other sectors of society, condemning Operation Dudula for turning away those deemed illegal immigrants from accessing free healthcare services.

The Johannesburg leg of the march coincided with a similar event in Durban yesterday, where KwaZulu-Natal coordinator for Operation Dudula, Sifiso Manyala, accused the SAHRC of helping illegal foreigners and biased NGOs.