SA Government Deploys South African Police Service To Prevent Removal of Immigrants From Clinics

• The South African government has deployed members of the South African Police Service to healthcare facilities in the country
• This followed tensions in various parts of South Africa, where citizens removed illegal foreign nationals from public healthcare facilities
• The governemnt said that everyone in the country has the right to healthcare, and South Africans strongly disagreed

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — The South African government has involved the South African Police Service in response to growing incidents of illegal foreigners being removed from public healthcare facilities.

SA government reacts to healthcare facilities saga

The government stepped in after members of the public in different parts of South Africa went viral for removing illegal foreigners from public healthcare facilities and preventing them from accessing healthcare services.

In an audio clip, the government posted on its @GovernmentZA X account, Acting Government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa announced that the Public Order Policing has been deployed to affected public healthcare facilities.

Government slams South Africans

Mnukwa said that the government has noted with concern that members of the public are blocking foreign nationals from accessing healthcare services. She said the public must respect the country's foundational values of the Constitution. Mnukwa said that the government continues to address migration issues lawfully.

"South African Police Services, in collaboration with the departments of Health and Home Affairs, are deploying Public Order Police to maintain law and order at the affected healthcare facilities whilst continuing to prosecute foreign nationals who violate the Immigration Act," she said.

Listen to the X tweet here:

SAHRC condemns incidents

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) condemned the incidents and said foreign nationals have the right to medical treatment in the country. It said the constitution did not limit who had access to healthcare facilities in the country.

Recently, the City of Tshwane arrested 90 illegal immigrants when they raided two informal settlements in May. Mayor Nasihi Moya said that they would be deported to their home countries.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens slammed the government.

Relebogile Mawelela said:

"The government's policy on healthcare access seems to prioritize political rhetoric over the constitutional rights of all individuals, potentially exacerbating xenophobia and undermining the very principles of universal healthcare it claims to uphold."

Trex said:

"So we need to have overworked nurses, long queues, and medication shortages because you want to protect non-citizens."

Commander of Armies said:

"South Africa does not belong to the government."

Mphorampard said:

"She is talking from a privileged point, so she must shut up."

Pale said:

"You are not doing your job. Why are illegal foreigners even allowed to roam around in the country?"

DJ Fresh stance on Zimbabweans causes debate

In a related article, Briefly News reported that DJ Fresh caused a debate with his comments about Zimbabweans in South Africa. Fresh said Zombabweans are dominating some sectors in the country.

Fresh said that Zimbabweans and Afrikaners dominated handyman jobs. Some South Africans agreed with him, while others disagreed with him.

Source: Briefly News