Access to health care: a battleground for SA citizens and foreign nationals

THE South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is currently facing mounting pressure from March and March, a nonpolitical movement, and Operation Dudula, an anti-migrant group, as they staged protests outside the commission offices in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last week.

- NADIA KHAN

The demonstrations were aimed at submitting a memorandum, detailing their concerns regarding foreign nationals accessing public health care and various government services, and demanding that South Africans be prioritised.

Over the past few weeks, members from the groups have blocked access to state hospitals and clinics in both provinces. They are checking the identity documents and appointment cards of patients at the entrances. Foreign nationals — whether documented or not ~are not permitted to enter.

Pavershree Padayachee, the provincial manager for the SAHRC in KZN, said these groups did not have legal authority to turn foreign nationals away from various government healthcare and other facilities.

She said they were not the responsible authorities to enforce immigration laws.

“Such power to inspect, arrest or detain any undocumented persons lies solely with the Department of Home Affairs, supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) when lawfully required.”

Padayachee said the commission expected to provide responses to the memorandums in a few days.

Teresa Nortje, chairperson of the March and March movement committee, said they decided to take action after they received complaints from South African citizens about the long waiting times and shortage of medication at government hospitals.

“South Africans complained about having to sit at the hospital from 7am to 4pm, only to be told they have to come back the next day to see the doctor or there was no medication. They said there were more foreign nationals filling the benches than South Africans.”

She, together with other members of the movement, stood at the entrance of the Addington Hospital in Durban on Friday, checking patients’ identity documents and appointment cards.

Nortje said last week, a woman was taken into the emergency unit of Addington Hospital and needed to be admitted.