“They Pay Tax”: Johannesburg Gent Explains Why Foreigners Should Have Access to Public Hospitals

• A man from Johannesburg defended foreign nationals' right to use public healthcare
• The controversial video posted in mid-July gained over 51.9k reactions and 7k comments
• Some South Africans supported the humanitarian stance, and others argued that the government should prioritise citizens first

A Johannesburg man has sparked intense debate after defending foreign nationals' access to South African public hospitals in a viral TikTok video.

Content creator @voiceofrsa, known for sharing controversial insights on South African issues, posted the clip in mid-July with the caption:

"They deserve to use our public hospitals."

In the video, the young man addresses common arguments against foreign nationals using public healthcare. He states:

"Foreigners don't pay tax, so they shouldn't use our public hospitals - that lie gets repeated often, and some of you believe it, but this is just lazy. Foreigners do pay tax every single day. Every time a foreigner buys food or clothes, they are paying tax - it's called VAT."

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The creator argued that when people learn about VAT payments, they shift their argument to income tax. He pointed out that 8 million unemployed South Africans also don't pay income tax, questioning whether they should be denied healthcare too. He claimed the real issue isn't about taxes but finding excuses to justify cruelty against poor undocumented people.

He referenced South Africa's constitution, explaining that Section 27 guarantees everyone's right to access healthcare, not just citizens. According to his argument, human dignity and equality are non-negotiable rights that can't be rewritten to punish certain groups.

The content creator also challenged the idea that other countries prioritise their citizens first, asking why people risk their lives to come to South Africa if those countries are so effective at caring for their people.

The video touched on South Africa's strained healthcare system, but the creator blamed corruption and incompetence rather than foreign nationals. He argued that denying public services to foreigners doesn't protect South Africans but instead targets vulnerable people who are already struggling.

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The TikToker concluded by stating that poor black foreigners aren't the real problem, suggesting people are angry at the wrong targets.

Mzansi reacts with strong opinions

The video went viral with over 51.9k reactions, 7k comments and 3k shares, showing deep divisions among South Africans.

@user3106033282071 supported him:

"That's very true. May God continue to bless you."

@uwandii_ngwane disagreed:

"I'm glad this is just for social media, not us, because honestly, we don't care! South Africa for South Africans."

@buli_babes made an interesting point:

"The interesting thing is that people who don't want foreign nationals are helped by the same foreign doctors in some health facilities 😏😏😏"

@fartun_garad shared her experience:

"I'm a Somali by nationality living in Zambia for almost 20 years, and I'm so grateful to the country and the people of Zambia."

@senzo provided a detailed counterargument:

"Service delivery in South Africa is planned based on data that includes both legal foreign nationals and South African citizens. Now, kindly consider this analogy: Imagine someone enters your home without permission and begins using your food, water, and electricity resources meant for your family."

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@makhoza offered an educated perspective:

"As an educated black South African, I can reason with the fact that our limited resources and facilities cannot accommodate citizens of neighbouring countries coming to South Africa to give birth and receive cancer treatment."

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Other stories about foreign nationals in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on Operation Dudula, accusing the SAHRC of bias toward illegal immigrants, but their shocking claims about being misrepresented as vigilantes revealed deeper tensions in the organisation.
• Gauteng Premier Lesufi made surprising comments about undocumented foreign nationals burdening healthcare, but his admission about government failures left many questioning official policy.
• An illegal Zimbabwean woman made an emotional plea for help after being denied hospital entry for her son, but the security guards' demands at the gate exposed harsh realities facing undocumented families.

Source: Briefly News